Losing Ourselves and Loving It

A Bigger World

2012-01-30T14:31:00.001-07:00

The Boy and The Starfish

One day, an old man was walking along the beach in the early morning and noticed the tide had washed thousands of starfish up on the shore. Up ahead in the distance he spotted a boy who appeared to be gathering up the starfish, and one by one tossing them back into the ocean.
He approached the boy and asked him why he spent so much energy doing what seemed to be a waste of time.

The boy replied, "If these starfish are left out here like this they will bake in the sun, and by this afternoon they will all be dead."

The old man gazed out as far as he could see and responded, "But, there must be hundreds of miles of beach and thousands of starfish. You can't possibly rescue all of them. What difference is throwing a few back going to make anyway?"

The boy then held up the starfish he had in his hand and replied, "It's sure going to make a lot of difference to this one!"
- Author unknown

Behind the beauty and allure that is such a vibrant and wonderful part of Costa Rica lies something sinister that's worth thinking on:

Did you know that the sex trade is rampant here in Costa Rica, specifically in San Jose? Not only is it rampant, it's also legal. Take a drive to the Children's Museum here in the capital city of Costa Rica, and you find yourself in the direct vicinity of the red light district, complete with brothels advertising their trade (trust me, trying to explain to your kids why they have to close their eyes as they near the CHILDREN'S museum is not easy task, but I diverge).

Even more disturbing? Costa Rica is known as a tourist hot spot for sex with underage girls as well. Sick, right? Have I gotten your attention?

Those facts, in and among themselves, are enough to call me to action even thought they are just a scratching-of-the-surface regarding this issue.But then...then there was a book. Little did I know that being loaned to me, by a fellow missionary/language school student, was a stack of bound pages that would impact me in such a profound manner. To say that I will never be the same is an understatement!

(Image courtesy of Amazon.com)

While not a book written from a Christian perspective, this is a well-researched, personal account from a married, journalist couple who have travelled the world researching the various forms of oppression women suffer across the globe.

Now, before you think I've gone all "Women's Lib" on you, let me say this is nothing of the sort. The atrocities against women, many in developing countries, outlined in this book are staggering, compelling, and the sort of thing that has not only opened my eyes, but has also grabbed me by the shirt-collar and given me a firm shake.

I challenge you to join me in reading this book (I'm half-way though it currently). Be forewarned, this is not an easy read. You. will. be. horrified! And not only do I ask you to join me in reading it but, please, join me in asking God what he would have me (us) do, if anything.

Zack, the kids, and I are privileged to be here to serve the Lord with eMi, and we'll do so with our best, as unto Him. That said, I'm facing the possibility of having some time on my hands while the kids are in school and Zack is serving in the eMi office. Maybe the Lord has something in store for me in terms of this very subject? I know that there's more than chance involved with the timing of this book in my life.
Stay tuned!

2011-12-05T19:11:00.001-07:00

I thought it'd be fun to share a blog post from a fellow friend, language school student and missionary from Montana. I thing this fairly sums up how many "simple things" can be not-so-simple here. Enjoy, and it may be a good idea to take note of his advice toward the end, you decide.

Scott take it away:

"I spent over an hour at the post office in Zapote, Costa Rica simply trying to get two care packages that were mailed. Here is a fine example of how things are done in Costa Rica. It went like this:

1. Walk to the post office with my friend Joe who is fluent in Spanish.
2. Show passport to the guard who stamped my papers that said I had a package waiting.
3. Wait in line #3 until it was my turn. Give the slip to the guy; show passport again; sit down and wait for line #1
4. Wait for 20 minutes for my name to be called, talked with a German who spoke broken English.
5. Name is called, go to line #1, sign two papers and write down my passport number.
6. The boxes were then opened and looked through. Food was found and a glorious bag of Starbucks French roast coffee (2.5 lbs)
7. This was not acceptable because of the new rule that food is not allowed in the country without special paperwork. They have been nabbing people for smuggling chocolate into the country lately, you know, because it is so dangerous.
8. Man tells us that we are to go to downtown San Jose and explain our situation and get a permission slip.
9. This isn't going to happen with us so Joe elegantly talks with the guys and tells them our story, not quite sobbing but it got the point across.
10. Guy at line #1 calls his boss over. Joe gives the same story. They fell bad and decide that the rules can slide this time. After all, we are not smuggling bombs into the country, only candy and coffee.
11. Our boxes are taken away and we fill out more paper work.
12. Go to the bank in the post office with a slip of paper we were given and by 7 cents for something.
13. Bring it back to line #1. Guy gives us more paper work for line #2.
14. Go to line #2 and pay 3 dollars.
15. Wait for my name to be called again for line #1.
16. Name is called. Go to line #1 and fill out more paper work and show passport.
17. Finally given our 2 boxes after 1 1/2 hours.

Now that is efficiency. So for all our friends in the States, think about this the next time you complain about waiting in line at the post office.

I have no idea why these packages got stopped and others did not but for future care packages, we were told that when filling out the customs slip, don't put specific foods. Just put something more vague. This whole process, however, was so worth the great care packages. Thank you so much."

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:At a Glance

In Which I Write About 'Being a Missionary'

2011-11-23T19:21:00.001-07:00

I've got a hunch.

I may, just may, be one of the strangest missionaries out there.

We're a strange group anyway, us missionaries, right? I suppose you've gotta be some sort of crazy to up and move your family into the great unknown.

But crazy's good. Just ask Francis Chan, he says so. His book "Crazy Love" reads on pages 114 and 115, "Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy."

Crazy? I've got that one nailed!

Who else, as a MISSIONARY, pronounces just the right words in just the wrong way so as to unfailingly sound utterly profane? And this hasn't happened just once, my friends, but over and over and over again in the first trimester of language school. Who else, as a MISSIONARY cannot contain her giggles when she tries to pronounce lago Titicaca in fonetica class? And who else in that very same day, in the very next class, being a MISSIONARY and all, resorts to answering her teacher with el trabajador de caca upon not recalling the Spanish name for a sanitation worker? In my defense who would ever recall the title 'el empleado de servicious de la higiene publica'?

So my hunch? It's fair to say I may be right on the mark. I can do crazy. And I can do strange.

I only pray that God's cracking up right alongside my classmates and teachers because, really, this craziness is all for Him and His glory!

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A Good Ol' Dose of Keepin' it Real

2011-10-19T15:40:00.004-06:00

A pre-field photo, for old-times' sake

Let me begin by asking you to bear with me. Please hear my heart behind the words that are to follow, and know that this post is simply intended to be a means for you to get a glimpse into the current reality of my life here in Costa Rica.

The literal meaning behind the two words Costa Rica (Rich Coast) conjours images of tropical lushness, extensive beaches, and luxurious foods that tantalize the palate. Lest I negate the truth, Costa Rica does offer those very facets. And while we have taken the occasional weekend (for R&R) that allows us to indulge in those facets, our daily life is not centered around them.

Being called to something beyond what I ever expected is, in and of itself, an incredible blessing. I can certainly relate to King David when he said in 1 Chronicles 29:14: "But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you?" Paradoxically, I find myself in the middle of what I'll call hard. Now, I know that hard does not equal wrong. I also know that hard does not equal bad. Hard does, however tempt me to throw in the towel and head "home". And I do know, as well, that hard is real; hard is not easy; and hard does bring stress.

In pre-field training we were given a stress inventory entitled "The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale". On that scale, there are a number of events listed that have been identified as stressors. For each stressor the test-taker can list the number of times each event has been experienced in the past 12 months and multiply that number by the stress value assigned to the stressor. Once totaled, the sum of those stressors provides a number that assesses your current stress level. In training we were told that the average missionary falls between 600-900 points. Having just completed the assessment, I have found my stress level to be at 937. Severe stress is identified as having a point value of 300 or more. Hard, indeed!

I am not asking you to feel sorry for me. I am not asking you to understand. I am simply sharing the current reality of the life to which we've been called. Being in the middle of hard, is...well...hard. This endeavor is no vacation BUT it is good!

Ants in the Sugar Bowl
by Elizabeth Givens

"So send I you
To ants in the sugar bowl,
To things that fly, creep and crawl into the house,
To uncertain water, sporadic electricity.
To long hours, sweltering heat, exhausting days,
To uncomfortable vehicles, crowded jeeps, smelly buses.
To noisy, early mornings,
To rice, rice and more rice.
To poverty you didn't believe existed,
To masses of people like you have never seen,
To know and work with people who have never known comfort,
So send I you, and I expect you to adjust.

So send I you
To people who will give to you from their poverty,
To friends who will embarrass you with their generosity,
To pastors who will entertain you from their lack, with beauty,
To hungry, receptive, questioning people who want to know God,
To study, to teach, to learn from your study and teaching,
To prove your own motives, values and beliefs,
To learn about yourself and the culture that has reared you,
To know God and to understand more deeply dependence upon Him,
So send I you.

Are you going? I'll go with you all the way."

Yes, I find myself in the middle of hard. And hard is just where I'm supposed to be!

When It Rains, It Pours

2011-10-09T08:23:00.001-06:00

When the day looks like this:

And this:

Then you can nearly bank on the fact that this is coming (Turn up your speaker volume so you can hear the rumbling thunder!):

YouTube Video

An when that occurs and it's rainy season in Costa Rica, landslides abound!

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The View From Here

2011-10-06T21:26:00.001-06:00

Serious multitasking is going on in this casa! Ever tried studying for a big Spanish grammar test while baking and frosting cupcakes?

Let's pray there's scientific evidence out there that proves that baking increases retention of Spanish. Sounds good in theory, right. *ahem*

For those inquiring minds, these cupcakes sound dynamite! Chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes (yes, there's homemade cookie hidden dough hidden inside each cupcake), topped with cream cheese frosting. And they are awaiting the addition of a small chocolate chip cookie as a topper.

I used the following recipe and will let you know what popular opinion says after our "Sweet Meet and Greet" for our language schools' current students and teachers:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough--cupcake--the-best-cupcake-ever/detail.aspx

Oh and I guess I'd better plan on letting you know of test results as well. A woman's got to have priorities! Pray for me.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hollywood or San Jose?

2011-10-03T18:19:00.001-06:00

I owe the title of this post to my sister-in-law, Ellen. Sista' is workin' it, even in a developing country!

Loud colors? Check.
Fiery red nails? Check.
Cool shades? Check.
Brothers sighing at her diva-ness. Check, indeed!

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The View From Here

2011-09-28T21:44:00.001-06:00

This could be any street, in any major city, in any country around the world but it's not. This street is our daily walk home from school, in the country to which God has called our family.

This path we're walking could be over any river, in any state, in any forest around the world but it's not. This path is the one we have chosen to walk, in the country to which God has called our family.

This flag could be the one we're most accustomed to, the one to which we pledged allegiance, daily, in our home country but it's not. This is the flag of the country to which we've been called, and it's the Costa Rican flag.

So much about our life right now is not what we are accustomed to or what we would call home. So much of it is new, uncomfortable, daunting, unexpected, rewarding, challenging, and perspective-altering all at once.

This is Costa Rica. And this is to where God has called. We welcome all He has for us!

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Full, full, and full

2011-09-11T20:14:00.002-06:00

Life as of late has been very full. Full of...

Evidence of a very dirty new-to-us ironing board:

Remarkable before...

...and after photos:

Rainy day play:

First day of 5th grade:

First day of 3rd grade:

First day of 1st grade:

Followed by the first day of 2nd grade due to a promotion:

Fist day of language school for Dad and Mom:

New and exciting produce:

And a 10th birthday celebrated in Costa Rica.

Mostly though, our hearts are full: full of thanksgiving for this once in a lifetime opportunity!

Costa Rica, here we come

2011-08-20T17:30:00.002-06:00

As we fly to San Jose, Costa Rica I wanted to take the time to update this neglected blog of mine one last time before touching down in our new culture. Isn't technology amazing...blogging from the air.

As soon as we have Internet up and running in our new home I plan full well to do a blog update that brings justice to my last few weeks' absence.

Know that all five of us are well and oh so excited to enter another period of transition. That and excited to finally have a place to lay our heads after a month long period of "homelessness"!

See ya on the flip-side!

You know you're going to be missionaries in Latin America when...

2011-08-01T21:24:00.002-06:00

Cute, studious photo from many, many years ago.

...you receive your childrens' school calendar for the year and ask yourself the following: Does an "assembly and parade at 6:00 in the gym" mean 6:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.?

And after further examination of the calendar you note that every early dismissal occurs at 12:08, 12:08 folks!

Costa Rica, here we come!

Coming Up for Air

2011-06-28T15:21:00.003-06:00

Suffice it to say that preparing to move your family out of country is no small thing! Our to-do list seems endless and the time too short before we depart for Costa Rica. The beauty, though, is that neither of those statements is true because we serve a big God who is:
"able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us..." (Eph. 3:20)

Stay tuned, things are getting exciting. Till next time know that we are, in fact, alive and well and that blogging has simply taken a bit of a back seat for the time being!

Summertime Learning

2011-06-10T08:55:00.010-06:00

Just what kind of a mom am I anyway? Some might argue that putting summertime and learning together could be qualified as some sort of cruel and unusual punishment. Really though, we find that not only does it work well for our family, but it's fun.

I've had many people ask what our summer looks like, and besides the fun activities such as hiking, swimming, bike-riding, and summer camps, we're also endeavoring to learn. Here's what our learning looks like on a daily basis:

I've bought each of the three kids a workbook, from which they complete one page a day:

Upon completion and correction of the questions they answered incorrectly, they receive a tally mark for each page. After 20 tally marks they have the opportunity to choose a prize from the prize bin. What do prizes consist of? Gift certificates for the toy store or ice cream store (of small value), cool pens, and toys that I normally wouldn't purchase (again, of small value).

Next, I've bought each of the kids their own notebook:

Each notebook is divided into three sections. 1) Reading, 2) Memory Verses and 3)Words:

Under the reading tab, I've printed a grade level-appropriate list from which the kids can choose books at the library, and then do a short summary after they've read each book (this one is from Garrett's book, 5th grade reading level):

The next tab is the memory verse area. On Monday of each week, I assign all three kids the same memory verse. During the week they work on memorization and understanding of the meaning of the verse. Friday is quiz day! Upon successful memorization of the verse of the week, each kid receives an extra tally mark toward their 20 tally mark goal. The following is from Brody's notebook:

Finally, we've got the word tab. In this area of the notebook I either assign words or let the kids choose their own, in order to expand their vocabulary. We've found that the zanier the word, the more fun it is to learn. For each word the kids look up the selection in the dictionary, copy the definition, and then use the word in a sentence. This is a page from Ashlyn's notebook (she just completed kindergarten). You'll note the words "fissure" and "noble" and you'll also see that I helped Ashlyn with the copying of the definition of fissure:

Finally, I'm always looking for teachable moments that make "schooling" applicable to life. For instance just this morning we were taking a close look at the beautiful lilies adorning our dining room table:

One of the kids noticed a drop of fluid on the pistil. After just a few guesses on what it could be, they came to the conclusion that it was nectar, the very same fluid that bees turn into honey. Honey? That realization led to the curiosity to taste the nectar, which was sweet but not as much so as honey. And there you have it, a plant biology and physiology mini-lesson during the summer!

And just what do the kids think of this summertime learning? Enjoy the following quotes from each kiddo regarding their opinions:
GARRETT: "Fun and cool."
BRODY: "It's kind of not fun."
ASHLYN: "It's really fun because we get to do work."
And one lesson you can learn from this whole post? Males are creatures of few words!

Lesson over and class dismissed!

8

2011-06-08T14:06:00.003-06:00

It seems like just yesterday that we celebrated...

Brody's 1st Birthday:

And then his 2nd:

How can it be that my middle baby just turned eight?

Happy birthday, dear sweet son of mine!

"You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. "
- Psalm 39:5

I've Gotta Hunch

2011-05-18T09:05:00.002-06:00

"Mom, Mom, we brought you flowers," came the two little voices in unison. With the back door ajar, there stood Ashlyn and Brody with a fistful of gifts for their Momma. Their faces beamed as they proudly offered their gift of love to me, their small hands offering up a token of adoration.

"Thank you," I said, smiling, as they anxiously watched to see what I'd do with their gift. What's a mom to do with flowers? Why, put them in a vase of course. And it just so happened there was a small vase of fresh flowers already adorning my dining room table. Adding them directly to the center of my existing arrangement, I thanked the kids again and off they ran to play.

I looked down at the new additions to my arrangement and had a hard time seeing them for what they really were.

Weeds.

And then it hit me, this could well be the way my God, the object of my adoration, sees my relationship with Him as His child. His original creation is beautiful, as is my original floral arrangement. And then, just as my kids came along and offered their best sacrifice, I, too, come along offering the best I can. It's obvious that one is flowers and the other weeds, but the heart from which the weeds came is one of best intentions and true love.

Weeds? Indeed.

Beautiful? In the eyes of the beholder.

And I love them anyway.
And He loves me anyway.

No Need

2011-05-09T16:40:00.004-06:00

I've got no need for the rain, rain to go away! I spent the morning doing exactly what a drizzly day calls for - making bread from scratch.

Start to finish, picturing bread making:

The bowl that needs mixing, a.k.a the job that is an arm exercise in and of itself.

Kneaded dough a.k.a another exercise, arms and shoulders this time.

Risen dough.

Dough balls ready for the pans.

Second rise completed.

The end.

Actually, that's not the end. The end occurred once I'd devoured a warm, buttered and honeyed piece of fresh bread. All that exercise left me famished.

And now, that's all she wrote.

Stew So Good You May Just Cry

2011-04-22T09:07:00.003-06:00

This, my friends is comfort food at it's finest! And being that just last night we got another six inches of snow, here in the place that could be known as the springtime arctic, comfort food is still eliciting it's siren call.

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

I found this recipe on the Food Network website, where once again Dave Lieberman has worked his culinary genius. Want the recipe? Go here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/red-wine-beef-stew-with-potatoes-and-green-beans-recipe/index.html

Mmm! The red wine, the beef broth (use beef, not chicken. Trust me!), and the rosemary combine to add a depth of flavor like none other. Not to mention the wonderful deglazing that occurs once you add the wine and broth. Heavenly I tell ya, heavenly! Add a chunk of crusty buttered-bread and a crisp green salad and you'll swear off overpriced restaurant meals for good. Oh but wait, dining out = no dishes to be done. I digress...

Now, if you don't find yourself crying tears of joy after your first bite, don't go blaming me. The truth may be that my tears aren't those of joy, but tears of sorrow over the fact that we're still needing comfort food in what should be spring.

The way to my daughter's heart

2011-04-14T14:01:00.002-06:00

I've just learned that the way to Ashlyn's heart is through the baby bunting I've been promising to sew for her baby doll for the last six months. I'm now proud to announce that the bunting is, indeed, finished! Never mind that winter is over too!

* Sewing skills credited to the teaching of my talented seamstress-of-a-mother as well as my years in 4-H back in the day.

Gran-OH-la

2011-04-11T20:26:00.003-06:00

Why "OH"? Because, oh, when you taste this you'll thank yourself for making it. Or maybe because your friends will, oh so profusely, thank you for the gift of granola and beg you for the recipe.

Beg no more my friends, you're in for a treat!

Granola

8 C. rolled oats
1 1/2 C. wheat germ
1 1/2 C. oat bran
1 C. chopped almonds
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. maple syrup
3/4 C. honey
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. unsweetened apple sauce
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. vanilla extract
2 C. dried fruit of your choice (I like a mix of raisins, cranberries, and cherries)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.

2. In a big ol' honkin' bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Next, in a saucepan, stir together the remaining ingredients, only omitting the dried fruit. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then pour evenly over the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly so as to coat evenly. Spread the mixture equally between the two baking sheets.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring at the ten minute mark. After the granola is cool, stir in the dried fruit and store in Ziplocs or an airtight container.

Really? This granola is so, so good! I like it as a snack (dry), in yogurt with fresh berries added (think parfait), in a bowl with milk and fresh banana, or even stirred into pancake batter to make granola pancakes. The possibilities are endless! And this travels well. My granola has now seen Costa Rica!

And can I share with you my favorite little secret about this here granola? It has all the taste of a full fat granola with half the fat! That's right, among the modifications I've made over the years, it's been to cut the oil amount in half. That applesauce? It's a fat replacer and you'll never miss the real thing.

So go enjoy yourself some granola, just remember to thank me later!

Home Again, Home Again, Jigity Jig

2011-04-10T14:26:00.002-06:00

Just a short little update to say that we're baaaaaaaack!

I'm feeling ready to dig back into things, and that includes digging into some delicious dishes. Be on the lookout for yummy food photos and the accompanying recipes.

Till then, love well and fully! :)

Volcano Poas

2011-04-06T20:04:00.006-06:00

What an amazing day! While we did have an important meeting today, the morning was dedicated to a fun excursion and what fun it was, indeed!!

Today's (Wednesday's) agenda looked like the following:
* Breakfast at a breathtakingly beautiful cafe with views that stretched all the way to the Pacific.
* Touring Volcano Poas with an EMI staff couple.
* Meeting/interview with the America Latina director.
* Dinner with the same couple whom we toured the volcano.

And since I've been asked for photos containing Zack and I, there will be a few! Enjoy:

The temperature at the base of the mountainous climb to Volcano Poas.

The temp at the top. The blur reads 57 degrees. Temperature change?!?

A view of the area where the lava flow had occurred.

Volcano Poas. Yes, it's active but hasn't erupted since, I believe, 1957. It's gotta be due to blow soon, huh?

Us , as proof that we were there.

One more view of the volcano itself.

On the walk to the volcano viewing area we encountered incredibly gargantuan leaves. We took a photo with EMI staff member, Josh, as a scale reference.

A view of the counter at which we ate breakfast.

A typical Tico (Costa Rican) breakfast: caramelized plantain, eggs, rice and black bean blend, a tomato relish of sorts that I asked for on the side (that was delicious), and a small corn tortilla with a wedge of cheese. I really do LOVE the simple yet tasty way Ticos eat!

Our view at breakfast. Keep in mind that this is at the end of the dry season, which is the hottest time of year. It's still so green. Imagine the fauna during the rainy season!

The obligatory self-portrait as we started our day.

Tomorrow, on our final day here, I'll (Jennie) head to Hogar de Vida (the orphanage EMI partners with) for a morning of hanging out and caring for kids while Zack spends time in the office. Lunch will be at Hogar de Vida, and then we have our final Q&A and Cafesito with staff. During that time we'll have coffee at a staff member's house while everyone has an opportunity to ask us any final questions they have and vice versa. Lastly, we'll have dinner at one more staff couple's home.

Zack and I find ourselves so thankful for this trip and look forward to seeing how God leads. We love, love, love all of you at home!

Monday

2011-04-05T06:44:00.003-06:00

Atenas' Snowcone Equivalent, much more delicious and rich!

Breakfast. We've never tasted a more delicious pineapple!

Just one of the very different plants that abound.

Our bungalow at Poco Cielo Resort.

The infinity pool that we are yet to visit here at Poco Cielo.

Phew, what a packed day yesterday was! We hit the ground running and fell into bed exhausted. The good news is that we feel like we are getting a good idea of what the area, schools, housing options, people, EMI office, and churches are like. Of course, there's always more to learn!

A few fun facts:
- An iguana running on a metal roof sounds like nothing you've ever heard before. If I had to guess, the one we heard was LARGE (but they're harmless).
- Geckos chirp, and chirp fairly loudly. Those "monkeys" I thought I was hearing? Those were geckos. Funny, because we heard them chirp while traveling in Africa and they weren't nearly as vocal.
- Costa Ricans call themselves Ticos/Ticas. So most everything around is referred to as Tico Style.
- Language school would actually probably take us A YEAR not six months. We should know more after our visit to the language school in San Jose this afternoon.
- Speaking of San Jose, there's a great sign we saw as we were driving around looking at homes. One arrow pointed toward Los Angelas, the other arrow toward San Jose. Are we in California?

Thanks for following along. We are enjoying the adventure this trip has been, and we thank everyone of you for your support, prayers, and interest. We couldn't do this without you!

First Impresssions

2011-04-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

We're here!!!!!

Poco Cielo Resort's Pool Area, courtesy of PocoCieloResort.com

We arrived in San Jose, the capital city, well after dark last night. Getting through customs was a snap, and before we knew it we were being wisked away into the night by three of the four full time staff members of EMI, America Latina.

Poco Cielo Resort is gorgeous to say the least, and will make a fine home away from home as we visit.

As we turned in for the night, the trees were alive with sounds: birds, what I'm assuming were monkeys, and insects. About three in the morning the roosters started crowing as they anticipated the rise of the sun which occurs at 5:30 here! And can I tell you that one of the roosters crowing reminded me of a young boy entering puberty? It's cock-a-doodle squeaked through many an octave as it practiced it's crow!

On today's agenda:
- Appointments at two different elementary schools in Atenas to foresee what schooling options abound.
- EMI office tour and time of worship while there.
- Women's lunch at a staff member's home.
- Tour Atenas neighborhoods with a staff family.
- Dinner with a staff family.

Since the sun rises at 5:30, the day, too, begins at that time for most. And once the sun goes down, around 5:30 p.m. the day ends and most folks are in bed by 8 p.m. So we've started early and will turn in early tonight!

Much love to all and we covet your prayers! And please forgive any typos. The spell check is in Spanish and is indicating that just about every word is wrong. Feel free to spell check as you read and offer grace accordingly! :O)

2011-04-02T06:54:00.002-06:00

Atenas, Costa Rica, here we come!!!!

This photo of Atenas is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Zack and I depart tomorrow morning for our much anticipated peek at what our future life may look like, Lord willing. Pray for our time if you would. We'll be gone April 3rd-9th and the kids will be home with my mom.

And I hope to have at least a couple posts brought to you by yours truly while there. Be watching for them because it could be nearly like you're there with us, right!?!

Adios amigos!

Top 5 in the Universe

2011-03-23T21:39:00.003-06:00

Beach play during our recent San Diego trip

Said the bigger of the two to the littler, "Ashlyn, name your top five things in the universe."

And from the mouth of the littler came:
"Jesus, school, dogs, Kalli (her "best friend forever" in her own words), and nachos," in that order.

FAT

2011-03-22T22:11:00.003-06:00

This boy?

This boy is a fount of wisdom. He gets it. He lives it. Sure he's my son, and surely I'm biased, but I am so proud of the young man Garrett is growing into. And yes he's a work in progress but aren't we all?

Tonight at the dinner table, shortly after a heart-to-heart teachable moment that included a reprimand, Garrett shared a nugget of truth that revealed his heart to do right by the Lord. I was so encouraged by what he'd been thinking on after our aforementioned discussion, and I was downright encouraged in my own walk with the Lord as well.

"Mom," he said. "Mrs. C [his fourth grade teacher] is always reminding us to be FAT."

"Fat?", I asked, never having heard the acronym and assuming his teacher must have meant fat on the Word or something of the sort.

"Yeah, Flexible, Adaptable, and Teachable. And really? I think that can be used in every area of our life."

Oh how right you are, son of mine!

Me...on Vanity

2011-03-10T08:55:00.004-07:00

This is me (with my dashingly handsome husband):

I like this photo, for many reasons, but you want to know the three biggest reasons?

1) I've got big ol' sunglasses on.
2) The stocking cap is nice, too.
3) It's perfectly zoomed/zoomed out.

Weird reasons, right?

Let me explain. A photo such as this is perfectly benign because it saves you from seeing what I saw the other day when I leaned in to pluck my seemingly ever-bushy brows. It was upon leaning toward the mirror that I spotted them. They and vanity are ever butting heads. They make you shudder and feel all of your 32 years. They caused me to pluck and wax. They had to show up glaringly on the same occasion, didn't they?!?

Suffice it to say, goodbye mustache and wiry, gray hairs!

Vanity wins again but oh does my pride suffer!

Fields of Green

2011-03-05T15:21:00.005-07:00

We live in a winter state. Winter as in 9 months of the year we've got snow on the ground. Winter. Winter. And more WINTER. Did I forget to mention that it's snowing as I sit and type away? Winter.

Living in a winter state is hard, but it's also beautiful. Beautiful, excepting when the snow blends with motor oil, begins melting and is splashed upon every surface within the spray's reach. But never mind that, we're not even to the melting stage.

And snow is beautiful excepting when the long winter months have caused your 30-something body to go into hibernation mode and pack on a few "survival" pounds. And it's all the snow's fault, really! I'm sure there's some biological data out there to support this hypothesis of mine.

In any case, and really I do have one, the vegetative color green shows up only in supermarket produce isles. And you know what? That's good! Very good in this case. Because when produce gives you greens, oil them, add salt and pepper, and turn it into chips! And these chips? They'll only help the poundage issue that is a directly linked with snow.

Kale, oiled with salt and pepper, ready to be baked.

Not only are these beauties simple, delicious, and healthful but your family will love you for them. And you'll feel like a superhero for giving your family the nutrient punch that comes inherently in kale chips.

The finished product, baked to crunchy perfection.

And the best thing about these? Brace yourself.... The best thing about kale chips is the lingo you can teach your family to go along with them. I made up and coined the following phrase, so much so that all I have to do is look at my kids and say, "Remember, treat your colon..." and they finish with, "like you wear it on the outside". Think about that one folks!

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale, preferably organic
about 2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash and dry kale completely. Tear leavess from stem, so as to avoid the chewy lower stalk. Set leaves on a large baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Massage the oil onto each leaf and then spread the leaves out on the sheet so that they don't touch . Salt and pepper to your taste.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes, but be sure to watch them closely because these babies go from done to torched in mere seconds.

Enjoy, and always remember to treat your colon like you wear it on the outside!

Conquering the world one colon at a time,
Jennie

Give Away Results

2011-02-22T10:19:00.002-07:00

Years ago, and around Christmas time, I posted about my favorite things, ala Oprah style. I rationalized that I, too, would probably greatly influence consumerism since my blog was so steeped with followers. At the time I believe my readership was, maybe...TEN people?

My most recent contest reveals a similar popularity. TWO contest entrants? Those are some pretty good winning odds! And if you're like me and never win anything, 50/50 odds make a contest all the more appealing.

That said, in a random drawing executed by Ashlyn, the winner between the TWO commenters is Libbie. Libbie, 12 girlie pinwheels are coming your way!

Finally, a little side note to the MILLIONS of readers of my blog who didn't comment. My delusions aside, you may just want to enter future drawings. I have a feeling your odds of winning will continue to be good!

Fer yoooooo!

2011-02-20T20:26:00.003-07:00

Since we've moved into our little condo I've found myself wanting for a decorating project. Knowing that this is an in-the-interim abode, I've been hesitant to take on any major decorating projects. But, but, but, I LOVE decorating and projects!

Enter the nontraditional Valentines. This year we gave away the following to all three kids' classes:

Pixie Stix Pinwheels (this one for girls)

All together now, what an adorable (boy) bouquet!

These were super fun to put together, a creative outlet for this decorating lover, and best of all - well received all around!

So, you know you want some, right? Because I'd love to put my hand toward more craftiness AND because I love and appreciate every one of you readers out there, I'm giving away a dozen of these. Do you have a child, grandchild, niece, nephew or friend who would enjoy a pinwheel bouquet? How about upcoming party favors? Want to just keep them for yourself? Whatever the case, each commenter will be entered in a drawing for 12 of these little gems.

Just answer the following question: What has been YOUR most recent craft? And be sure to indicate if you want girl, boy, or a mix of pinwheels. I'll post the winner on Tuesday morning, so you have till then to enter.

Happy commenting, friends!

Quotable

2011-02-18T06:37:00.005-07:00

Brody: "Mom, I can totally feel that summer's coming!"

Things to note:
1) It's still mid-February in MT.
2) The temperature was in the low 40's when this photo was taken.
3) Notice the starred items in the photo, which include:

*shorts
*bare legs
*no socks on either boy
*PILES OF SNOW!

Oh, how easily deceived we Montanans are when the winter temps rise above freezing! Get me my swimsuit and an umbrella. I think I'm going to go lay out!

Perfectly Imperfect

2011-02-14T09:32:00.005-07:00

My perspective on this day of love has been changed by the following song. May you be blessed by Matthew West's song "Wouldn't Change a Thing":
http://www.klove.com/promodetails.aspx?i=5531
(just click the "Play" button next to where it says "Listen to the winning song")

If I'm honest, I could allow my life and this day to be earmarked by the following conflicting emotions:

Love/Sadness.
Joy/Pain.
Hope/Despair.
Plenty/Want...

...but oh the joy of resting, not in my emotions, but on the Rock of my life, Jesus Christ!

On this love day it was such a blessed reminder to walk into Ashlyn's kindergarten room and see the following emblazoned upon her Valentine receptacle:

For God so loVed the world
ThAt He gave
His onLy begotten Son
That whosoEver should
Believe iN Him
Shall noT
PerIsh but
Have eterNal
LifE.
- John 3:16

My life is, indeed, perfectly imperfect, and I wouldn't change a thing!

On Working Out Beside Your Pastor(s)

2011-02-07T10:56:00.005-07:00

Whoa nelly! I get the distinct feeling I may be going where no (wo)man has gone before. Daunting, yes! Real, for sure! This here, folks, may just be the start of a series I could call "Keeping It Real".

It's time for me to share with you, in bullet form, the thoughts and internal dialogue that reeled through my mind after our head pastor, Jim, climbed on the elliptical RIGHT NEXT TO ME and our associate pastor, Brett, planked on the mats TO OUR IMMEDIATE LEFT. Buckle in, and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times. And no judging, mm-kay? This here is honesty at it's finest:

* Oh man, it's Jim...what's pastoral protocol when it comes to greeting a sweaty tank-topped woman on the elliptical? Act natural...take out your ear bud, smile, and say hi Jim.

* Surely I don't want to make him feel bad...maybe I should slow down. But what if he's holding back right now but will push the RPM's up after his warm-up, leaving me in the dust? Oh Jennie, this isn't a competition. But wait, what if it is?

* Okay, don't look, it seems he's entering his information. That means he'll be entering his weight. What does he weigh? None of your bees wax. New approach - blinders! Pretend you have your blinders on!

* Blinders are on! But what if I'm being unfriendly? No, err on the side of not crossing whatever imaginary line may exist. For heaven's sake, you don't want him to think you're hitting on him. Hitting on him? I'd never do that...well then don't make it seem like you could be.

* Food Network is a safe channel right? Nothing offending? Oh shoot, why did that commercial have to have a chef wearing such a low-cut top? Did I just expose my pastor to her cleavage without even meaning to? What's he thinking? Should I change the channel. Oh wait, we're back to grilling, this is safe!

* Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! I should have laid off the jalapeno poppers at last nights' super bowl party. Jennie, you know poppers cause gas. Just HOLD. IT. IN! If it were anybody else you could let it slip (slowly and silently for sure) but this is your pastor!

* Brett can plank? He's pretty old. Old? What if he knew you referred to him as old? Whatever, in any case, he can plank! And side plank? When I get off this machine I am so going to out-plank him.

* Start timing him now. Go! One second, two seconds, ten seconds, one minute...He doesn't even know it but he's giving me a run for my money! I'm going to have to plank for over a minute? Oh well, at least he'll be gone by the time I'm done on the elliptical and he won't know whether my plank beats his or not.

* Look away! He's looking up and again, girlfriend, you don't want to be caught staring at your associate pastor.

* Do Jim and Brett meet after they workout? Will they discuss the fact that I was watching them? But I'm not watching them. Clearly I'm NOT. WATCHING. THEM.

* Oh phew, Jim's only doing 30 minutes on the elliptical. I'll be on longer than him and, clearly, I'll have won. Oh Jennie, it's not a competition. But maybe it was.

* He's done cleaning his machine. Do I say goodbye?

* "Bye Jim, have a good workout, or day, err...". Just smile and it'll be alright.

* Oh look, Brett's done too and I only have a couple minutes left.

* I wonder if stress combined with cardio ups your calorie burn?

* The coast is clear now. Just let it out slowly and silently.

Friends, let me assure you that you would not have envied my position! Working out beside pastors is not recommended from this chica! But really, do you think I got a better workout because of it?

And for the record recycled jalapeno poppers *AHEM* aren't all that bad!

And the best part of this whole thing? I can rest assured this'll get back to one or the both of them in some shape or form.

Pray for me!

Gotta Love This Kid

2011-02-03T18:38:00.003-07:00

The call came at 2:50 p.m.

Our school's assistant administrator called to let me know that Brody was itching and had broken out in little bumps all over his face, neck, and arms. Off to his school I went to pick him up.

Before I tell you of the conversation that ensued between Brody and I, I have to tell you of our family discussion over breakfast this morning. After family devotions we discussed talents given to each of us by God. As we discussed, Brody determined that my talent was, "having babies".

So on our drive home from the school the conversation went like this:

Me: What did your teacher say when you told her you were itchy? Did she tell you to go to the office?

Brody: No, it was me who told my teacher that I was itchy, and I asked her to call my mom so that she could figure it out.

Me: Well if anybody could figure it out it must be mom, huh?

Brody: Yeah because you've worked with me for 7 years, Ashlyn for 6 years, and Garrett for 9 years so you must know how to heal a lot of sicknesses.

I LOVE that in Brody's mind I'm a baby-making, illness-healing wonder. Watch out world, here I come!

Chocolate, You Complete Me

2011-01-31T16:48:00.004-07:00

My love is vast and deep and wide,
Although you add some jiggle to my sides.
I love you more than I can say,
Without you I couldn't complete a day.
~Original poetry by yours truly.

Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! Add that to two of my other favorite ingredients, peanut butter and oatmeal, and I'm smitten. As soon as I saw these treats on Eat, Live, Run (eatliverun.com) I knew they were made for me and me for them.

As Valentine's Day approaches I know who has my heart! No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, will you be my valentine?

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
courtesy of Jenna @ eatliverun.com

makes about 3 dozen small cookies

3 T butter

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 heaping tablespoons cocoa

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter (I like crunchy all natural peanut butter here)

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

Melt the butter on the stove. Add the sugar, cocoa and milk and stir well. Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Stir. Add the oats. Stir again.

With wet hands, form little balls of dough and on a wax paper lined plate or pan. Refrigerate for thirty minutes until hard.

And the two lived happily ever after. The End.

In Which I Teach You How to Fail a Drug Test

2011-01-29T09:29:00.004-07:00

These look fairly benign, right? Benign and delicious for sure!

Oh but don't be fooled so easily. These muffins, or some very similar to them, are responsible for a story that's worth retelling.

It was Zack's 16th year and he found himself wanting for an income of his own. Like 16-year-olds everywhere my husband began searching for gainful employment. His target employer? Safeway. Safeway was currently hiring baggers, and bagging is just one of many things my future husband-to-be could do.

So, he interviewed. Pass.
And he performed the obligatory urine drug test. FAIL!

Fail? Oh yes, Zack's squeaky clean image was marred by the presence of opiates in his urine!

The culprit? One too many of his mom's delicious poppy seed muffins in the days leading up to his drug test. Imagine the awkwardness of trying to explain that one away!

And it's now with forewarning that I offer you Dorrie Greenspan's oh so delicious recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins:

Taken from Dorie Greenspan’s, Baking: From My Home to Yours

For the Muffins:
2/3 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 T poppy seeds

For the Icing:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2-3 T fresh lemon juice

Directions:

To Make the Muffins:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and the lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and hte fragrance of the lemon strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whish the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the wish or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough-a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.

To Make the Icing:
Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 1/2 T of the lemon juice. Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough additional lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon. You can then drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins or coat the tops entirely, the better to get an extra zap of lemon.

Enjoy, just as Zack did a couple of weeks ago. And keep in mind that you never know when the next random drug test will rear it's ugly head!

Life According to Ashlyn

2011-01-27T09:06:00.002-07:00

The golden rule is big in our house. It's not uncommon for Zack or myself to be heard asking the kids to recite the golden rule in the midst of sibling rivalry (*gasp* our family actually experiences that?) or general strife. "Remember," we tell them over and over, "do unto others as you would have done unto you."

It's also not unheard of to hear one or the other of us adults issuing unsolicited advice such as: 'Never play leapfrog with a unicorn', or 'You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you can't pick your friend's nose.'

So maybe it should come as no surprise that in the midst of a serious teachable moment I reminded Ashlyn to think of the golden rule. "I know the golden rule, mom," she replied. "You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you can't pick your friend's nose."

Touche little one, touche!

You Pick

2009-08-21T14:37:00.003-06:00

After such a long break from blogging I'm curious. Which photo is it you most want to see?

This one?

Or maybe this one?
How 'bout this beauty?
Or this one?
Maybe you like this?
Or maybe it's a non-existent food photo you want?

Besides bringing back priceless, awesome, invaluable memories and lessons from Africa, our family has brought back a stowaway. A stowaway of the illness sort whose very unpleasant symptoms I'll spare you. Suffice it to say that I'm in no form to provide you with food photos. My body can't stomach food at the moment so bear with me.

Beautiful food photos will adorn this blog before long but until then I'll have to beg you to accept the above photos. Thanks so very much my faithful blog followers!

Age is Irrelevant

2009-06-16T07:36:00.006-06:00

There's nothing like turning 26-years-old. Young and carefree, the world is before you and the regrets are behind. That's right, I said I turned *ahem* 26-years-old. Happy belated birthday to me! For those of you who are old cronies, well beyond 26-years-old, here's how 26-years-old looks:

Upon closer inspection you'll notice that 26-years-old embraces weird mouth appliances. Can't see it? Take a closer look at 26-years-old:
Still can't see it? Okay, here's an even closer look at the 26-year-old Mago Bite Adjuster that's a result of years of grinding and clenching:
Nothing like a lisp and protruding lips to make you feel all of 31-years-old. Oops, did I slip and say 31-years-old? Silly me, just look at the top picture and tell me I'm not 26-years-old. Please!?!?!?

What a Way to Start a Day

2009-06-05T14:36:00.004-06:00

Mmm, come to mama.

If you're anything like me, mornings are not the most smooth running of times. With summer and summer activities just around the corner, eating breakfast may become a matter of convenience. Not only are these little morsels convenient but they're also nutritionally dense. You'll be left satisfied in yo' tummy and satisfied with yo' good food choice. Add a piece of fresh fruit and you've got breakfast on the go!

Bran Muffins With a Twist

1 C. Whole wheat pastry flour (whole wheat or all purpose should work fine)
1/2 C. White bread Flour (all purpose should work fine)
3/4 C. Ground flax seed (I use my coffee grinder of mini food processor)
1 C. Packed brown sugar
2 t. Baking soda
1 t. Baking powder
1 t. Salt
2 t. Cinnamon
3/4 C. Soy milk (cows milk will work)
1 t. Vanilla
1/3 C. + 1 T. egg white (2 eggs, beaten, will work fine)
2 C. shredded carrots
1 1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 - 3/4 C. raisins
A handful of chopped walnuts

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray two standard muffins pans with cooking spray.

2) In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients (flour - cinnamon).
3) In a medium mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients.
4) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix only till combined.
5) Fill muffins tins 2/3 full w/ mixture.
6) Bake for 25 muffins or till tops or nicely browned at spring back when touched.

Yields 15-18 muffins.

Healthy? Yes! Delicious? You betcha! Packed with nothin' but good for you stuff? Sure!

Enjoy my friends, enjoy!

One of My Prayers

2009-06-02T12:44:00.003-06:00

Our recent trip to visit Zack's family in Colorado has left me with the following prayers on my heart:

Lord, may
1) I please enjoy longevity similar to that of Grandma Marie?
2) 93-years-young look as good on me as it does her?
3) I be blessed with a handful of great grandchildren?
4) My heart and soul be as beautiful and full of joy as her's?

Grandma with her 12 great grandchildren

Here's to you, Grandma! AMEN

Blast From the Past

2009-05-19T08:57:00.002-06:00

It was a dark and stormy night. Okay, well maybe it wasn't stormy but it was dark and it was night. Zack and I were sound asleep in our double bed, foregoing any snuggling because I was something like 56 weeks pregnant with Garrett. A belly that looked similar to this...

and a double bed simply didn't lend themselves to snuggling. Anyway, I digress.

At some point, probably right in the midst of precious REM sleep, a jolting sensation rapidly awoke the both of us. Zack, in his grogginess (have I mentioned it takes him a good long while to wake up?) reached over, patted the bed and finding me still there said, "Oh, I thought you'd fallen out of the bed." Niiiicccceeee! It's always wonderful to learn that a literal shaking of the foundation of your home is thought by your husband to be the result of your pregnant girth hitting the floor. No, it wasn't me falling out of the bed; turns out it was a Southern California earthquake!

I think I'll choose to forget this story from here on out. It can't be good for me to dwell on the fact that at 36+ weeks of pregnancy Zack thought my weight great enough to shake our entire house, right? Yes, this I will forget. Hmm, if only I can also forget the following comment by the same dear man during the same pregnancy, "Wow, you're like two feet wide!"

The damage runs deep, I tell ya!

Oh Where, Oh Where...

2009-05-19T06:44:00.001-06:00

Have my babies gone?

Be still...

My yearning..

uterus.

Amen!

Interim

2009-04-26T15:33:00.004-06:00

While you patiently wait for me to be back up and running with a new, virus free computer I have a public service announcement for you.

I'll call this "Sage wisdom from Jennie".

Believe me, you'll thank me for this.

Really, this is kind of how I'm feeling about the whole technology thing at this point.

Are you sure you want to see this?

Wait for it, just hold yer horses...

Here it comes:
You can pick your friends and
You can pick your nose but
You can't pick your friends' noses.

Thank you, thank you very much! And I can just feel the pride beaming from my mother-in-law right at this moment (hi Susan)!

Down But Not Out

2009-04-18T08:19:00.003-06:00

Have I ever expressed exactly h0w much I *love* modern day technology? Really, I do! But you know what I don't love? Problems with modern day technology!!!!

My computer got a virus resulting in the discontinuation of our DSL service. It's been a long process of getting everything back up and running, and it's still not at 100%.

Please know that I'm itching to post something of interest, namely "Poster Child for Bike Helmets", as well as some fun food related posts for those of you looking for those.

Hang in there with me. I'm sure that we've all come to realize that technology requires patience. And I am oh so patient (ha-ha)!

Mini Me

2009-04-11T13:59:00.003-06:00

Nearly everywhere Ashlyn and I frequent together we hear over and over again that we are look-alikes; the salon, the grocery store, the library, the_________ (you name it). We look so similar, people say, that Ashlyn is my" mini me". Quite frankly I'm not seeing it. Do you?

Hopefully this cut-from-the-same-mold talk will chalk up to something. A local contest is asking for mother/daughter look-alike photos, with big prizes in store for the winners. The above photo is our submission. We shall see...

2009-04-09T10:32:00.002-06:00

See this?

Do you know what it is? No, it's not that! Do you really think I'd have that on my counter, in a container? How dare you think in such a manner? No far from that, this my friends is domesticity in a dish! This is homemade, freshly ground peanut butter. Anyone like peanut butter? I see a few raised hands, so read on.

Freshly ground peanut butter yields these:

Don't these raw cookies look delish, luscious, and maybe even rustic? I just found the recipe for these puppies and I am in love! Now don't go all Salmonella on me when I tell you that yes I did eat the dough. Salmonella is no worry with these because it's an egg-less recipe. You heard me right, egg-less cookies! And you know what else? These are cookies you can write home about because mama would be proud. Check out this ingredient list:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup organic, chunky natural peanut butter
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
(Courtesy of www.101cookbooks.com)

And the directions are pretty darn simple as well:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place racks in the top third.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. in a separate larger bowl combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture and stir until barely combined - still a bit dusty looking. Let sit for five minutes, give one more quick stir, just a stroke or two. Now drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Press down on each one gently with the back of a fork. It's a loose batter, so if you're set on doing criss-crosses, go ahead and chill the batter for an hour or so before this step. Bake for 10, maybe 11 minutes - but don't over bake or they will be dry. Let cool five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

Make 2 - 3 dozen cookies.
(Again, courtesy of www.101cookbooks.com)

Before I proceed let me tell you that my alterations to the above ingredients included adding just a smidge of olive oil instead of 1/3 cup. I nearly omitted all of the oil, just depending on the natural peanut butter oil for fat, but I probably ended up using a mere 1 to 2 Tablespoons. And for the inquiring mind, I used whole wheat pastry flour as my flour choice. And the peanut butter I used? Take a look at this:

Homemade peanut butter is beyond simple. I remember my first time learning of this wonder and was amazed that it could be so darn easy. Here's what you do. Choose your peanuts. The possibilities are endless. At the risk of sounding like a character from Forrest Gump (remember Benjamin Buford Blue, aka Bubba, naming the nearly endless shrimp recipes that abound?) , there are raw peanuts; dry roasted; dry roasted and salted; honey roasted; and Spanish just to name a few. My personal favorite are all-natural dry roasted with sea salt. After purchasing your peanuts, toss them into either your food processor or blender. Note that if you use your blender you'll have to process the peanuts in fairly small batches; a food processor allows larger batches. On my processor I start by using the grind button till the peanuts are roughly ground. I then use the chop button, which reverses the blades, and I process those babies till they reach the desired consistency. This takes some time, like five minutes or so, but oh is it worth it! The taste is undeniably fresh, and there's something so satisfying about procuring your own peanut butter. Plus it's cheap!

And see these?
These, fellow readers, are heavenly. Trust me on this one!

Spring Is In the Air

2009-04-03T14:02:00.003-06:00

Bozeman's weather updated 9 seconds ago: 31.1 degrees, 90% chance of precipitation and as I look out the window I see an all out blizzard. Welcome to spring in Montana! And despite the snow and cold I'm in a springy mood.

In my kitchen I have tastes of spring:

CUPCAKE DAISIES

CUPCAKE FIELD OF FLOWERS

And from my laundry room comes the sound of spring:

ASHLYN WITH A BLACK COCHIN

CHICKIE, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

BLACK COCHINS AND WHITE LEGHORNS

Weather unaccounted for, spring is in the air!

Lest You Think They're Angels

2009-04-02T13:20:00.002-06:00

Remember back in the summer when the flood waters rose? Well, for the sake of the story let's travel back to that time. Close your eyes and breath deeply. The water has been rapidly rising and Zack is out of town on business. The friends have been commissioned and the basement has been emptied...

Wait, what am I thinking? Who would be crazy enough to want to travel back to that time? Granted it was a time of clarity and a time of revealing that which is most important. Granted it was a time of lessons learned. Did I just say lessons learned? Lessons, indeed! Lessons such as just because your children have never used the walls as their canvas you are not immune from the attack of the stray writing utensil? Yes, that's right. My boys are not angels!

It had been a long day of box packing, using a blue permanent marker to label said boxes. We had come to a good stopping point, early in the evening. We loaded the kids in the van, not even noticing the permanent marker that will have come into question. Granted the car ride to the condo we were staying at was a quiet one, but it had been a long day and the kids had to have been exhausted.

It wasn't until we put the van into park that suspicious giggles erupted from the back seat along with squeals of, "Mom, we're skeletons!". Blue permanent marker and bones drawn all over the tanned bodies of boys - not a good mix, no not a good mix indeed!

To say I was speechless would be an understatement. How in the world do you remove permanent marker from skin? I mean we had church the next day. We couldn't go to church with blue skeleton boys! All I can say is thank goodness for moms. Not only did she come to help us pack up our ruined home, but she being the saint she is, had the solution to our permanent marker woes. Toothpaste. Not gel but paste. And you know the best part? Mom sent Zack and I out for a date night and single-handedly restored our boys to proper form.

All's well that ends well! Plus, I now know that Garrett and Brody have an accurate understanding of the structural composition of a human body. I mean just check out the femur bones on Garrett! But wait, a belly button bone Garrett? Nevermind!!!

The Post That Isn't (in any form) Titled We Miss Mexico

2009-03-28T10:20:00.004-06:00

Zack and Garrett, surf fishing partners

The hooligans chasing waves

Landscape (notice the blue, blue water that I don't miss at all)

Our resort, Royal Solaris del Cabo (and of course I don't miss it. No way!)

The happy couple plus one

I mean, really. What's to miss? It's not like there was sun, warmth, nothing but relaxation, endless food and drink, beach lounging and very little responsibility. It's not that coming back to Bozeman conversely meant overcast skies, cold weather with nearly a foot of snow the day after we got back. It doesn't mean I'm back to all the responsibilities of homemaking and motherhood, school, and every other commitment.

Mexico, hmpf! What's to miss?

To Commemorate the Return

2009-03-12T13:50:00.004-06:00

Remember my last post? Okay, now forget about it! The long story short is that Zack and Garrett have strongly encouraged me to get back into the swing of sharing my dirty laundry online. And heck, if two of the men in your life ask something of you, you're pretty much obliged, right?

So welcome back, me! Here's to a brand new start on a not so new foray into the blogging world. And to commemorate my return I thought I'd share with you one of my go-to recipes.

As a mom, I love knowing I'm meeting the nutritional needs of my children in the most healthful ways. And not just the kids' needs but Zack's and mine as well. These granola bars fit the bill. If you peruse the ingredient list on a box of granola bars at the store you'll most often find that the list is a mile long and contains one or more not-so-great ingredients. The bars above? Heavenly! And the goods that go into them? Guilt-free!

Whip these up, alter them to your taste, and let your indebtedness to me begin! Oh and just so you know, I change these up each and every time I make them. In the parenthesis below you'll find the alterations I made this go 'round (and here's a shout-out to my mom for the original recipe given to me years and years ago)!

HIGH OCTANE ENERGY BARS

1 C. rolled oats
1 C. crunchy grain cereal, crushed (I used Cheerios)
1/2 C. slivered almonds (I used whole almonds, chopped by me)
1 1/2 C. dried apricots, chopped (I used dried cranberries)
1 C. raisins
1/2 C wheat germ (I used wheat bran)
1/2 C. protein powder (I used vanilla flavored)
1 t. butter or vegetable oil (I always use the oil)
3/4 C. maple syrup or brown rice syrup (I use 10 T. when I use vanilla protein
powder)
1/2 C. natural peanut butter
1 t. ground cinnamon

Toast first 3 ingredients in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through (don't let the mixture brown).
Place ingredients from the oven in a large mixing bowl. Add the next 4 ingredients, separating the dried fruit pieces; mix thoroughly.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter/oil and syrup, stirring until bubbly. Mix in the peanut butter and cinnamon till all are combined, mixing constantly.
Pour over dry ingredients, quickly mix together, and press into a lightly greased 9x13" pan. Pat mixture into the pan using waxed paper.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Cut into bars - whatever size makes your skirt fly up - and wrap each in wax paper or a snack size Ziploc bag.
Store refrigerated.

The best thing about these? People, they're no-bake!! Dig in and enjoy!!!

Evaluating Priorities

2008-12-29T09:08:00.002-07:00

As I look at heading into 2009, I must admit that my life needs some reorganization. While most of my time is spent wisely, I'm no better than anyone else, and I find myself whittling away time here in front of the computer far too often. While the Internet is a powerful tool (heck, just last month the kids and were able to hop online to research the process of egg production in chickens), it can also be a drain on my time.

The book of Ephesians (chapter 5, verses 15 and 16 for those interested) exhorts me to, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity...". Quite honestly, a personal blog is not the wisest use of my time, nor is it an example I desire to set for my children.

I have loved this outlet and have much enjoyed the contact it has allowed me with all ya'll. I have not, however, loved the time it has sapped because I have chosen to allow it to.

This, my friends will be the end of my blogging foray. Please know, those of you who have faithfully followed and kept up with me via this site, I will be trying to use the extra time I'll have freed up to send you personal little blurbs w/ pictures. The time required will be less and the contact more personal.

Catch ya on the flip side! Over and out...:)

My Favorite Things

2008-11-20T09:47:00.005-07:00

If Oprah can put a list of her favorite things together why can't I? I mean the ONLY difference between myself and Oprah is viewership. She's got, what a million plus viewers on a daily basis? Surely I've got...well...at least four that I know of. And okay, maybe her influence is bit greater than mine. Surely some people find my opinions adoptable and embraceable, JUST LIKE OPRAH!! Whatever the case, just let me continue to live in my little bubble of deception and share with you my holiday must-haves list. Yep, JUST LIKE OPRAH!!

And doing this could really create a good shopping list for any of those wondering what to get that hard to buy for relative. Oh and sure, I'll let you know which of these are actually in my possession and which ones are on my own wish list, just in case one or more of you gets a wild hair and wants to go shopping for me (kidding, kidding...or not)!

First up is the knife I've drooled over for months, the Wusthof. I am absolutely convinced that this very knife would make cooking every night a delight. I must be delusional, huh?:

Next we have the Woolrich blanket that makes my going to bed a beautiful thing. Along those lines I apparently rolled over in the middle of a snore and said to Zack something akin to, "Without this blanket sleep would be a total waste." The BEST thing about it? The silky soft edging is delightful and reminiscent of baby blanket days:

This next item is another saliva-inducing one, the Vita-Mix. I once bought and returned one of these within 24 hours. At the time I simply couldn't justify a mixer that cost $200+. Now, I can justify it all sorts of way: smoothies, soup, my own ice cream and peanut butter. Trust me, I could go on and on:

Of all my kitchen tools, I really swear by this as the best. I encourage everyone who is even slightly interested in the kitchen to get one of these. And the facet I most enjoy? This puppy is melt-resistant. I use this Mix N' Scrape from Pampered Chef for everything, and that everything includes leaving it in my skillet while cooking. Nope, it won't melt folks!:

Next up are the cookies I've never tried but want to travel to New York City for. Well, maybe I have more reasons than these cookies to visit NY, but I'd surely go to the Levain Bakery while there. And at $22 for four cookies, these have GOT to be good, right?:

This here is the turtleneck I've been waiting all my life for. I just bought myself one the other day and I am in love. Remember those strangling tight, itchy turtlenecks of old? Well GAP has come out with the whisperthin turtleneck. It's soft, caressing, and perfect for layering (did I just call a turtleneck "caressing"? Commit me now):

This magazine is perfect for those of us who are Food Network deprived. There's nothing I love more than watching the Food Network as I drivel away my time on the treadmill. There's something slightly amiss with looking at food while burning calories, isn't there? In any case I only get to watch the Food Network at the gym since we don't have cable here at the house. This really is a fun treat for us foodies:

Next up is a movie that both Zack and I greatly enjoyed. Maybe it was just the fact that we made it to the theater for a date night. But I think it's so much more than that. This flick is delightful and feel-good. Watch it and I think you'll agree:

This next favorite thing of mine was introduced to me by my brother and sister-in-law, and is actually my Christmas gift from them this year. It came early, what can I say? Cuisine At Home is a wonderful cooking magazine because each and every recipe is accompanied by mouth-watering photos. And there are no advertisements. Yep, you heard me right, NO ADS!:

Last, but certainly not least is the ever-important stocking stuffer item. This Bath and Body Works lotion is a treat to the senses, in a bottle. I could have my entire stocking stuffed with these (and sometimes it is) and be blissfully happy. Not only are you treating your skin right, but you'll smell oh so lovely in the process. Husbands love these too!:

That my friends completes my holiday list of favorite things. And would ya do me a little favor? Whatever you do, DO NOT let Oprah know in any way, shape or form (since I know SO many of you have the ability to dial her right up) that I said in relation to myself, "JUST LIKE OPRAH". I'm not so sure she'd appreciate the humor... And no, my list may not be as well designed or as indulgently gifty as hers, but it compares well, right?

Happy shopping ya'll, and DO be sure to let these companies know I'm touting their products. Maybe I could get some sponsorship and make it big time! One can dream...

Better Than What You'd Buy

2008-11-19T18:42:00.005-07:00

Do you ever have a hankering that just won't quit? A hankering you know you MUST satisfy. A hankering you know will NEVER be satisfied unless you, yourself, make that which will satisfy the empty hole in your stomach yearning for some goodness?

Well behold the product of my hankering, ta-da:

BIG, FAT, CHEWY, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, courtesy of Allrecipes.com

These cookies, my friends, are nearly beyond description good. Talk about melt in your mouth AND in your hand! These cookies are better than, well, anything you could get in the store for sure. Make these and ya'll can thank me later. Trust me, you won't be sorry:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Big-Fat-Chewy-Chocolate-Chip-Cookie/Detail.aspx
(just copy and paste this link, but don't say I didn't warn you!)

And the only modifications I made are as follows:

1) To heighten the whole grain value I substituted 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour for one of the cups of all purpose flour.
2) I used organic cane sugar in place of the granulated.
3) Last but not least, I replaced 1/4 cup of butter with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, sacrificing the fat but definitely not the taste.

Happy eating my faithful readers!

Kidisms

2008-11-18T21:42:00.005-07:00

So it's probably pretty darn awful that I've not taken any pictures of as late. Life gets busy, and you know, things fall to the wayside. No of course not, my kids don't fall to the wayside, just taking pictures of them!

Lacking photos means I have to make up what's missing in visual stimulation with verbal stimulation. Soooo, let's see...

I know what I'll do. To tide you over till what I hope will be a very soon photo, I'll share some of the cute things that have come from the kids' mouths. Oh from the mouths of babes, right?

Starting with Garrett:
1) As I was cutting his hair in the bathtub tonight (which we do unclothed) I asked him if he thought he'd be naked, getting his hair cut as a teenager. His response? "I sure hope not, I'll at least have to have underwear on."

2) Heard by me as I peeked around a corner, while he talked with Ashlyn. He held Ashlyn's hand wedding ceremony style and said with the utmost sincerity, "Ashlyn I would marry you if I could because you are so funny." Awwww!

On to Brody:

Hmm, in typical mother-of-middle-child fashion, I cannot for the life of me think of one, single specific thing. Don't be hatin'! Just know that Brody is, in general, the most quirky/funny kid on the block. He is daily busting us up and has truly made us belly laugh nearly daily since he could talk. Enough said, right, I've made up for my motherly fuax pas, RIGHT?

Finally, Ashlyn:
1) "Mom, who has a bigger brain, boys or girls?"

2) After I reminded Brody at dinner that he needed to eat, I told him I should just make a recording of me saying, "Brody, eat!". Shortly thereafter I looked at Brody and said in my motherly tone of angst, "Brody what am I going to say?" Ashlyn answered for him, as she so often does, "Eat up buttercup"!

3) "Shnashnics are my favorite." Interpretation? Gymnastics are my favorite. We just LOVE the baby pronunciations she still has left! We'll hang on to any bit of baby remaining! Other fun pronunciations are: panjees (chimpanzees), guts (for gutters, as in the type on a house), bitamins (vitamins), and somesting (for something).

And can I just tell you that Garrett made me a sign and taped it to the door between the house and the garage? He wanted to be sure I saw it when I arrived home from a Pampered Chef party Sunday afternoon. The gist of it is that I am the "best mom", and he made a graph chart indicating my level of goodness at 100%. Oh if he only knew! It's too bad we mothers tend to fall from glory in our children's eyes as they age. I'll just hang on to that sweet little sign and read it on those days in the future when I'm the, "worst mom ever"!

Ho hum

2008-11-09T10:50:00.003-07:00

So here's the scoop:

The kids and I were suppossed to be in Cody, Wyoming visiting with my family while Zack and his cohorts are out enoying their manly fall weekend. The guys hunt (shooting big game and stocking the freezer does amazing things for a man's ego by the way) and we were going to be hanging out with my mom, dad, and brothers, one of whom travelled all the way from New York to be there. So why didn't it happen? Sick. Did I say sick? Oh yeah, sick!! Turns out we've got influenza going around our house, and the last thing we want to do is give the lovely virus to my nephew, Phoenix, who flew 10+ hours along with my brother Justin. So alas, we spent the weekend at home, cooped up, picking our noses. Not really, our noses are too runny to pick!

No for real, we've kept busy with multiple crafts. The kids have been inventing all sorts of goodness and I've been sewing. I'd love to share with ya'll but Christmas is 'round the corner and some of you will be getting said sewing project. I'm excited about how these "things" are turning out though, and I have actually enjoyed being home doing nothing but hobbies.

I never blogged about Halloween because we don't do much. We've bucked the system, gone a different way from norm (What does Norm have to do with this? Ha, ha, I kill myself), and we stay home. Now we don't just stay home we also have plenty o' fun. We carve pumkins, eat candy to our hearts' content, and we usually make caramel apples (ran out of time this year though). So here are a few pictures of Halloween night since I can't share the REALLY good crafty pictures with you:

And although carving pumpkins has lost some of it's fun now that I make the kids gut their own pumpkins, they were mightly pleased with what gutting resulted in:

Till next time, peace out!

All Is Good And Right In The World

2008-11-06T09:02:00.006-07:00

No the election results haven't been miraculously reversed, so okay maybe EVERYTHING isn't good and right but some things sure are.

The following photo is music to my ears and beauty to my eyes. It's the wafting of freshly baked apple pie to my nose. It's...okay you get the idea!

When relatives come visit I often hear, "Oh, things are getting so much better Jennie!" Sometimes I shrug my shoulders and think, 'Yeah right you don't live here. You're just visiting and you have NO idea.' Other times I think, 'Better? What do you mean, things were never bad!' And yet other times I think, 'Oh, so you were miserable the other times you where here?' (just keepin' it real, by the way)!

These well meaning comments came from loved ones who had witnessed the busyness, no scratch that, the absolute insaneness of my life. For a blur of time I had a three-year-old, a fifteen-month-old, and a newborn baby. To say life was crazy is an understatement. Then I had a toddler, a two-year-old and a four-year old. Had anybody told me that stage would have been more difficult I wouldn't have believed them. But then I experienced it and mercy, the sibling rivalry was nearly unbearable.

Enough of the past! As much as I treasure those days of little ones under foot everywhere I'm also cherishing where the kiddos are at now. And "now" is more peaceful, more fun and much more enjoyable as a mom (again, just keepin' it real)!

AMEN!

Morning Commute

2008-10-31T13:15:00.004-06:00

In no particular order I bring you a bird's eye view of my morning commute!

Mind you, it lacks a bit of it's impact for a few reasons, but really that's minor, right? For one, you weren't there to experience the crisp fall morning that added to the allover allure of starting the day. Second, you weren't actually there with me in the car to see first person what I saw. And last but most importantly you missed the commentary by all three kids.

Just so you don't feel like you missed out on TOO much let me share with you some of the quips I heard from the front seat:

"Oh my goodness, we're going to drive off the road!"
"Mom, there's a car coming!"
"You're driving crazy, Mom!"
And my favorite, "We're gonna die!"

No, I don't recommend photo sessions while driving but they sure epitomize mulit-tasking!

Miscellany

2008-10-30T11:25:00.005-06:00

Simple ingredients, right? And yes, be still oh hearts, you did in fact see two sticks of butter. Repeat after me, "butter is my friend"! Butter and myself have a love affair of sorts, and if ya'll can't handle that depth of relationship then you may want to search for a new recipe. In any case, simple ingredients lead to wonderful results:

These are the resultant shortcakes which we topped with sugared strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and homemade whipped cream. I think it's fair to say that these were well enjoyed by us as well as by our dinner guests. It was a bit of summer goodness at the beginning of fall.

The next picture was taken during Brody's kindergarten Creation Play yesterday. It was absolutely adorable and I caught on film, many-a-times, his classmate looking up at Brody with admiration. I don't know what it is but wherever this little guy goes the girls go ga-ga!

And last, but surely not least is the picture I captured as I herded the kids out the door for school. Living up north, surrounded by mountains heralds the most incredible, breath taking sunrises. The trick is to be up early enough to see them. Thank God for motherhood because I don't ever have a problem seeing the sun rise!

Can You Hear Me Giggling From There?

2008-10-28T09:07:00.003-06:00

*tee-hee* I'm trying to contain myself, really I am. It's just that EVERY, SINGLE time I look at this photo I giggle with adolescent glee. Is it really that funny? I would agrue yes! You can *tee-hee* judge for yourself *tee-hee*.

Photo credits go to Auntie Irene, who entertained the hooligans for nearly an hour with her nifty Mac program. You've gotta love Aunties, I sure do!!

*tee-hee*

To Hang In There Or Not To Hang In There?

2008-10-26T16:13:00.004-06:00

Sure, to me the above title may sound much like the deeply profound "To be or not to be", but then again I'm pretty dang simple minded!

Anywho, I'm curious. Really, I am! Obviously I've been a slacker when it comes to posting. It's not that I don't have material to blog about. Between myself, Zack, and three silly bambinos I've got PLENTY o' blog fodder. It's just that...well...I'm kinda uninspired as of late.

What I'm wondering is: do I have any readership? Is there anyone out there that really thinks I should keep this up? As much as blogging is an outlet for me it's also a way for me to keep in touch with you. Am I keeping in touch with anyone? If so, it's worth the doing. If not, I'm simply talking to myself and as we all know that's just crazy. Oh wait, I talk to myself all the time, don't I?

So humor me. If you HAVE been checking in, post a comment. If I get comments I'll continue blogging. If not, I'll call it a fun had-been foray into the cyberspace world and get on with me life. I must admit it'd be sad and all, but....

Off To School We Go, Part Deux

2008-09-03T21:39:00.003-06:00

Could it possibly, is it truly, is there any way that you, my little Brody Deanie, could be a Kindergartner? *SIGH* If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times -where has the time gone? I am so happy to report, however, that we have a little school-lover on our hands. At bedtime tonight Brody wished he could go to school every day just like Garrett. Oh, it'll all too soon be a reality my little man!

And Ashlyn is now our big girl preschooler. She'll be going Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-11:30 a.m. It's not so much time that I don't know what to do with myself but just enough time that I'm not pulling my hair out trying to run errands with one or two or three kids lamenting my carting them around.

Life is, indeed, good! Speaking of good, we FINALLY have progress on our house repair. The drywall is up and taped and it looks as though things are a rollin'. For those that don't know, we finally came to the decision to repair the basement, put in an extra sump pump (we'll now have two which definitely trumps the fact that we didn't even have one when the flooding occurred), and pray for the best. The positives? First, no more staying in the condo. WE ARE READY TO BE HOME (could I possibly say that with more emphasis?)! Two, we have decided to majorly refurnish the house vs. redoing the floor plan. We're thinking that strategically placed pieces of particular furniture will greatly improve the workability of our floor plan. Do you know what that means for me? SHOPPING!! Need I say more?

Anyway, I've got, as always, so much news to share, not the least of which has to do with scrambling, poaching, and frying. Any guesses? Anyone, anyone? Stay tuned...

Off To School We Go

2008-08-27T20:56:00.002-06:00

Where, oh where has my baby gone? Second grade? Life happens all to quickly. Those of you with teeny ones, hold em' close while you can. Before long they'll be embarassed by many of the things you do and holding them will be a has been. BUT, ah that's not the case for me quite yet. Right before leaving Garrett's classroom this morning, when all the kids had arrived and were seated, I asked for and received (without hesitation I might add) a lip kiss. Maybe there is some baby left?

I Forgot To Mention...

2008-08-09T21:01:00.003-06:00

...that I'm still wiping bums; doing dishes and laundry; and stepping on sharp well-hidden toys, so it's not all fun and games. Just a little in case you wanted to know!

Going back to Cali, To Cali, To Cali....

2008-08-08T07:46:00.002-06:00

Hey all! Wanted to drop in from the land of beach days and patio evenings to give everyone a big shout out. Contrary to my intentions I have only had spotty internet access, so blogging has, obviously, not happened.
If you wonder what's going on here it is: tanning, boogie boarding, sand castle building, swimming, Sea World, Lego Land, eating out, parks, shopping, ice cream, bike rides, reality shows (anyone else watch "So You Think You Can Dance"), traffic, battling CA pests - flies and ants, free movie days, bbq's, air craft carrier tours, beach-front walks and so much more.
We are having more fun and relaxation than should be allowed! Getting back to reality next week will be tough but we miss Bozeman and all our friends there. Don't be too sad for us though, we're faring okay! :)

Blogging, What's That?

2008-07-19T20:47:00.004-06:00

There is NO WAY it's been an official month since I last posted an entry, no way. Alas, as Wayne and Garth (of Wayne's World, of course) would say, WAY!!!

Sigh, there's been SO much going on, so much worthy blog fodder and a sincere desire to blog on my part. So what's the problem? Time! Time, the precious facet of life I'm sure we all find ourselves wishing for more of at one time or another. And I have to ask, did anyone miss me?

For the sake of summary and since I'm on Zack's laptop and don't have access to any of the pictures I've uploaded recently, here's a bullet list of the goings-on of the last month or so.

* You know about the flooding, what you may not know is that we've now been living in my husband's company condo for the last month. Boy do I miss home.

* In terms of remodeling we're at a stand still. We're not currently doing construction of any sort (unless you count the laying of sod that Zack did to cover a 4x6 ft. hole that had to be dug in the middle of our back yard. Long, long story folks and I'm just not up to telling it.)

* A very dear, very loved family that is friends of ours lost their 4-year-old son suddenly. Blaze was the sweetest of sweet, the cherry on top, the icing on the cake... just the neatest little boy who gave the BEST hugs. We miss him deeply and continue to grieve with our friends!

* Brody lost his first tooth. And can I just tell you that inflation is an amazing phenomenon? What kid gets $4 for a tooth? Brody, that's who!

* We've had golf lessons, swimming lessons, a summer science camp, ballet camp and more fun times with friends that I can count.

* We traveled to Cody, WY for the 4th of July. Anyone been to the Stampede Rodeo there in cow country? If not you're missing out, really! We attended the Bull Riding Extreme Competition that'll be broadcast on ESPN in early September. Check your local listings for the date and time and see if you can find the Graham family in the grandstand!

Suffice it to say that's just a very brief recap of life over the last month. My goal is to disipline myself so as to provide you with photos, posts, and the ever-present Graham kid antics that will keep you checking in every day.

Stick with me folks, because this girlfriend's back!

When The Flood Waters Rise

2008-06-18T06:28:00.004-06:00

If this title sounds strikingly familiar it may be because not too long ago I titled an entry something to the effect of "The Storms of Life". Well wouldn't you know it, we're again enduring a storm and this storm involves a flood (hence the oh so clever title above...or not).

I've often times wondered at what the Graham family response would be in times of staggering loss. This spring has brought what seems plenty of opportunity to test that wonder.

We have truly been blessed!! Over and over again God has shown me that He has, indeed, given to me beyond my wildest imagination! How you ask? The list is endless but let me attempt to lay a portion of it out:

1) I've been given a husband who is all about giving God glory. Through his father's death and most recently, the loss of the bottom half of our home, Zack has been a pillar of strength. His outlook, at times when his faith could rightly be tested, has been and continues to be, "God is good." This outlook spurs me toward faith and trust that God does work for the good of those who love Him.

2) We have been blessed with the richness of deep, abiding friendships. The love, concern, and service of our cronies has blown my mind. If I ask it is done. Even if I don't ask it's done. I can't even begin to line our their service to us but let me say that it is above and beyond anything I could have imagined.

3) Our family has been a source of encouragement and strength as well. Their prayers and words of comfort have been like a salve to my soul. We truly feel the covering of protection that comes with the prayers of loved ones!

4) We could not ask for better kids. You would be amazed at the resiliency with which Garrett, Brody, and Ashlyn have weathered the storms that have moved through our family the past few months. Their eternal outlook is inherent and without question. Their view of God encourages me to trust with a childlike faith. Their perspectives of fun and adventure spur me toward rolling with the punches.

5) God's provision in our life is also, undoubtedly evident. I really believe that so many circumstances have been lined out for such a time as this. Nothing is beyond His view nor out of His control, and resting in that is where we find our comfort and strength.

Really, I could go on and on. And couldn't you? Circumstances like a death in the family and flooding that results in the loss of your home lead you to reevaluate your life and those things that you hold most dear. I pray that you would be able, by the grace of God, to find yourselves as blessed as we have found ourselves!

Nahum 1:7&8 says:
"The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in
Him.
But with an overwhelming flood
He will make an end of Nineveh;
He will pursue his foes into
darkness."

May you be found trusting, and may you find refuge in the most secure of ports during the storms of your life!

And for those whose curiosity is piqued, I'll soon be posting update pictures of the house as well as an outline of how things will most likely look for the next six months or so. Stay tuned for for an update!

When It Rains It Pours (Pun Intended)

2008-06-12T20:30:00.006-06:00

Guess what I woke up to this morning? Increased flooding in my basement. I say increased because I discovered the problem on Tuesday afternoon and had remedied it with a few stratigically placed towels and furniture pushed to the center of each room. Or so I thought until 10 am this morning! I went downstairs to check on the water level and lo and behold there was standing water everywhere! Murphy's Law was really intact in this situation because Zack has been on the east coast the entire week for work.

So what's a woman to do with her man out of town? Well I shifted it into high gear, and called in the troops. The combined effort of all our wonderful friends had the basement cleared of belongings within an hour. Suffice it to say that we have been battling the onslaught all day and we now have a nearly demolished basement to show for it. Wanna see? Sure I'll share pictures because then maybe I can garner your sympathy, right? RIGHT?

Previous to this we had beautiful ash colored laminate flooring, floorboards and a somewhat tastefully designed basement complete w/ a play room:

How It All Began

The Family Room Now

Boy's Room (yes the entire floor is covered with wata)

The Bathroom

Standing water w/ our trusty pump that now ejects water

I would show you my ever-growing laundry pile, the line in our homeowner's insurance policy that excludes ground water intrusion (which this is), or even my weary face but ya know, I don't want to garner too much sympathy now do I. Or do I?

Over and out ya'll. I'll keep you posted!

Redeemed

2008-06-06T11:13:00.004-06:00

Now, I wouldn't define getting a flat in the middle of podunk Montana as fun, but to each his own, right? If you asked my kids what they thought of our flat tire experience they may just tell you that Ken's Tire in Hardin, Montana was the only fun they had on the entire trip. Heck, they may even tell you that climbing in and out of stacks of tires is more fun than an amusement park. And they may even tell you that we force feed them ground up night crawlers, but that's neither here nor there. My point is that a child's perception isn't always accurate or reliable, and furthermore my point is that our delay in Hardin seemed like nothing more than a two hour delay to an already long road trip.

But whoa, was I ever wrong. If we hadn't been delayed by our two hour tire fiasco I would have missed an exceedingly incredible photo op. It's photos like these that make me sit back, take a deep breathe and even praise the Lord for flat tires (did I just say that?).

Colorado Trip Part 1

2008-06-05T20:14:00.003-06:00

Hmm, how would I describe part one of our Colorado trip? Fun In the Boonies? How Many Males Does It Take To Change a Tire? Hardin, Montana...The Middle of Nowhere? Oh I don't know, I'll just let the pictures do the talkin'.

Colorado Trip, Part One a.k.a. Whence We Happened To Get a Flat:

But, I know what I'll call my next post and that will be "Redeemed". And you wanna know why? Ha, you wish. Hang in there for my next installment.

Update From the Road

2008-05-28T06:18:00.004-06:00

Remember that quick little mention of a trip to Colorado? Well, we're here. I'm thinking of doing a picture only post when we get home, a post in which I let the pictures do the talkin'. As you have probably surmised from this blog of mine, I have very little problem being generous with words. But if I sit back, post some pictures, and see what they have to say it could be fun, right? And do you think something could really be amiss with me - was I the only one who noticed the absolutely lifelike attribute I credited to pictures? Pictures having something to say?

That'd be the day!

See you again soon amigos!

The Finer Things of Life

2008-05-17T06:26:00.008-06:00

I believe that as a mother, I join the ranks of many a mother before me when I say that I don't think I could be any more busy as of late. Between school obligations that include end of the year activities, a very sick kiddo (that would be Ashlyn), Brody's 5th birthday party, hostessing, preparing for an upcoming trip to Colorado, planning the specifics for a month in California, housekeeping, wifehood, and bill paying - I'm pooped! Sometimes I look at my life and wish for a VERY long, VERY alone vacation. But then in a moment of clarity I see just how fleeting time is, how deeply rewarding motherhood really is, and the appreciation of my kids, and I know that it's all worth the cost. Time alone? I'll have plenty of that come 20 years. For now, I'm in the trenches. Busy as can been but filled with all that TRULY brings satisfaction. Join me, moms, in celebrating the fact that our profession is highly honored in the eyes of God.

Upside Down and Inside Out
Brothers in Arms
Friday Night Fun
Big Clothes to Fill
Brody's 5th Birthday Cake
Bird's Eye View of the Cake

And to close, a few quotes that I find most fitting of my life at the moment:

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."~Washington Irving

"By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class."-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

"Children are the sum of what mothers contribute to their lives."-- Unknown

A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, "where mother is." ~Keith L. Brooks

And so you see from the above quotes, as I'm sure you have from living life as a mom, that motherhood is made up of a number of bittersweet juxtapositions. Rewarding, yes, but exhausting! Thankless, yes, but thanks-inducing! Trivial seeming, at times, but ultimately of great value! Worth it? Without a doubt!

Spring Fun Montana Style

2008-05-14T08:38:00.004-06:00

Close your eyes, relax, and let me set the stage for you...

It's a not-so balmy-5o degree May day, and the sun peeks from the clouds on occasion. The breeze is slightly nippy, blowing from the West, and without a jacket you find your arms endowed with those pesky goosebumps that indicate quite a chill.

But us Montanans, we're tough. Real tough. Or maybe I shouldn't say we, but they. They being my children. My wonderfully brave, adventurous, itching-for-summer children. When opportunity presents itself, they jump at it. Fifty degrees equates to water fun right? Oh, I agree, that's exactly what I thought as I parked myself on the patio with my zoom lens.

This, by the way, is a day in Montana at the water slide:

Bathing Beauties (note the brown grass)
Splash Landing (aka: mud, mud and more mud)
Incoming (mud, again)

"Cool" defined

Have I said anything about mud yet?

And as a side note, yes we do feed Brody. Don't ya'll go calling CPS on me!

Oh I Had a Little Chickie

2008-04-30T14:15:00.007-06:00

Oh I had a little chickie and it wouldn't lay an egg, so I poured hot water up and down it's legs. And it giggled and it giggled and it giggled all the day, and my poor little chickie laid a hard boiled egg. Can I just say that I wish somebody had told me that boiling water won't cause a chick to lay eggs! Oh stop it, I kid! Don't ya'll go calling PETA on me!

For your viewing pleasure as well as for those with prying minds I've provided some updated chick photos and some other photos that detail just how they fit into our lives at this point. Never fear, their integration into our family has been seamless. The kids are loving having additional playmates in the sandbox:

Four Wheelin' Chickie (look closely)

Construction Chickie

Jordan

(This is Jordan one of two by the way. The kids have named the chickies in pairs)

Bad Girl (again, one of two)

Chickie Feet

Over Easy (get it?)

And I can't end this post without mentioning that my dear, loving, dedicated hubby spent his ENTIRE weekend slaving away on a chicken coop. And it aint just any old coop. It's a mighty fine humdinger of a coop. I guarantee pictures of the coop as well as before and after photos of dear husband! You do know that coop contruction causes before and after effects, right? Hang in there to see what I mean!

Storms of Life

2008-04-24T05:40:00.003-06:00

Late afternoon storm over Jackson Lake, Teton National Park

Bear with me ya'll, this is undoubtedly a bit deep and not so light-hearted...

This morning (it's 5:44 a.m. and not a creature is stirring) my heart is filled with gratitude toward our Heavenly Father. The circumstances that bring about this heart condition are a bit complex to explain but I'll give it the ol' college try.

A friend of some acquaintances of mine was recently diagnosed with acute leukemia. Not only does this hit close to home because of my own battle with cancer, but I feel a special kinship to this woman because she is a young mother of two small children, both girls. Her children, too, attend a private Christian school (the only other one in Bozeman) and she, too, is a stay-at-home mom. For some time she had been feeling unwell but repeated visits to her physician revealed nothing. Finally, after months and months of seeking answers she was diagnosed with end-stage leukemia, was air lifted to a Seattle hospital, and is now in a fight for her life.

This woman's perspective is one to be appreciated. Unfailingly she has said that God is good ALL the time, and that she has peace about the entire situation. This doesn't mean that she hasn't been scared, or hurt, or lonely, or unsure of things. This means that the LORD is her rock and that with that foundation there is no room for shifting sand! I find myself asking whether I, in the same circumstances, at this point in my life, would boldly proclaim what she is proclaiming?

What many of you do not know is that I recently had reason to consider the above question. Although I have been cured of cancer for nearly three years now, the possibility of recurrence does exist, albeit that the risk is slight. I also learned in the recent past that current research reveals that the occurrence of Osteosarcoma (my cancer, although it feels weird calling it mine) rends a seven fold greater chance of contracting another form of cancer during my lifetime. Add these components to some recent alarming blood results and I had an equation that summed fear! I trust God, I do, but the unsurity of the situation led my mind down paths that ended in places I cared not go. Did you catch that in the previous sentence I said, "I trust God, but..."? This my friends, is why I find myself in awe of this leukemic woman's outlook.

The fact of the matter is that I've been there, done that. The fact of the matter is that time and again God revealed himself mighty and powerful and sovereign over all during my fight against Osteosarcoma. The fact of the matter is that in a time that could have been wrought with sadness and pain God granted me absolute times of beauty and offered me grace like you couldn't imagine. The fact of the matter is that my time through cancer was TRULY one of the most blessed times in my life. So why do I fear? I fear because circumstances are different from the year-and-a-half I spent in the hospital undergoing surgeries and multiple rounds of chemo. I am now married with three small children and loaded with responsibilities that aren't negotiable...or so I think. Isn't God LORD over all? Isn't He bigger than the "impossible"? Isn't He good no matter what?

To the relief of many, myself among the most relieved of all, I learned at an appointment on this past Monday that I do not have cancer. Praise God! And you know what - praise God for the outlook of one seriously ill young mother that puts things into perspective for me (easy for me to say, I know)!

When the storms of life come (and they will my friends, they will) where will God find you? Will you be tossed about by waves of uncertainty or will you be found standing firm on the Foundation that is indestructibly built? I pray that both you and I can boldly stand firm in the LORD, no matter the circumstance. God is good, all the time!

Slip Slidin' Away

2008-04-16T21:09:00.006-06:00

Here in Big Sky Country it seems we're stuck in eternal winter. Let me explain: Monday it was up to nearly 70 degrees, Garrett was convinced he was done with snow pants and snowsuit for the year, and we actually had to cool off using the A/C in the car. Well wouldn't you know it, we woke up on Tuesday morning to snow and lots of it. And again today, Wednesday, SNOW! I find myself thinking, 'Enough already, bring on the sun!!!!!'

HOWEVER, and this is a big however, I now want to rescind my lament. Why? Well because after sorting through more pictures on my hard drive, I came across the above photos. While the green grass, warm weather, bright sun, and outdoor fun are ever-appealing I find myself no longer wishing the days away. Wishing the days away means one day further from where we currently are. And one day further from where we currently are means being one day closer to the kids being grown up and gone.

The above photos are from two years ago this coming June. TWO YEARS, people!!! I look at this slip slidin' fun and feel time slip slidin' away. Spring, you can stay away....just as long as it means I get to hold my babies and keep them little forever!

Good night ya'll. I'm off to look in on my sleeping cherubs...

A Day in the Life

2008-04-09T06:43:00.005-06:00

In no particular order, I'll share with you today a few pictures that give you a peek into a day in my life. Enjoy! And if you're anything like me you'll love this. I'm one of those freaky peeping Toms who likes driving by people's homes after dark because with lights ablaze and blinds wide open I get a bird's eye view of the inside of their house.

Margarita Cupcakes

French Bread

Ready to Accost Chicks (not those chicks, get your mind out of the gutter!)

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Lasagna Rolls

Pico de Gallo

Dress Up Time

And ta-da, there you have it. What's that you're asking? Do I always cook the above all in one day? Of course, it has nothing, nothing, to do with the fact that I was bringing friends dinner. Where would you get a silly idea like that?

Brahmas, and Leghorns, and Chochins, OH MY!!!

2008-04-08T08:39:00.002-06:00

Reader folk, listen well! I want you to be aware of the sacrifices I make for you. Yes, you! And why? Well because I love you so. Do you know how I started my day? With chick poop. Not just chick poop, but chick poop in the palm of my hand. All for the above photos. Alas, the sacrifices required for blog fodder!

So my latest conquest has become to raise laying hens. But laying hens start as sweet adorable chickies, right? And so, I bring you...sweet adorable chickies! For years I have talked about raising chickens and have expounded on the value of organically raised, hormone free eggs. Finally it's no longer just talk!

As of yesterday we became the proud owners of six little puffballs. Oh they're cute! Stinky, but cute! My laundry room is now an incubator. My laundry room is now filled with the cheeps of two week old chickens. My laundry room is now the very most interesting room in the house and the room that is occupied most.

Chicksitters? I've got 'em. The kids are at their post most of the daylight hours and are ensuring that the poultry are well fed, well watered, well groomed, and well harassed! Never fear, these little chickies won't be neglected!

I'll be keeping you updated on the progress of the little gals. Hopefully in six or so months I'll be reporting on the deliciousness of home-grown eggs. In the mean time wish me luck. I'm sure the chicks will be flying the coop (aka laundry room) all-too-soon. Oh, and anyone know of any good chicken recipes? Kidding, kidding, I'm sorry....

Assigning Value

2008-04-02T13:53:00.002-06:00

Funny, isn't it, that while doing some hard drive spring cleaning I'd come across this photo and that it would make my heart jump into my throat? How could such a mundane photo cause such emotion? Let me attempt to explain.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, witnessing the end of George's life on earth has profoundly affected me. Not only has it affected me but it's given me a perspective that I was overlooking previously. What do we know of life? For one, it's temporary. Two, it's God-ordained. Three, the days of our lives are numbered. But most sobering for me, life is brief, it's but a breath!

Last summer our entire family embarked on constructing a paver patio and the project lasted nearly the entire summer. It was grueling, at times frustrating, and most definitely a labor of love. More than all this, however, it was a family project! See those three green, red, and blue specks in the background? Those are our hooligans. Even they were allocated duties and put to work (what do you mean kids aren't intended for forced labor?)! And the funny thing is, they LOVED it.

I look back at this photo and it says to me the following:

1) This summer project is one that we will never have the opportunity to embark on again. Well, unless something should go terribly wrong with the design. But shhh, don't even tell Zack I mentioned that. In no way am I insulting his engineering skills! :) Hi honey, just a little shout out to you... No really, there will probably never again come a time when we will work on a paver patio as a family for the entire summer. This was a precious time.

2) This summer, while enjoying the fruits of our labor, we can fondly look back on the good, the bad and the ugly of this project knowing that we, as a family, completed it.

3) And here's the kicker: When it comes down to assigning value, what is it that holds value in your rating system? For me it's family. For my father-in-law it was family. At the end of his life, George seemed most concerned about where he was at in his relationships with each and every member of his brood. It wasn't about his to-do list, it wasn't about how much he had accomplished, it wasn't about how he looked or the condition of his body. It was about family. Period. This patio project, and this photo in particular, represent to me the most valued way to redeem my time - as a family. I will look back on this photo fondly, knowing that the five us worked together, shared together, and grew together for the duration of the project.

What a precious gift!

Brody Dean

2008-04-01T09:52:00.002-06:00

This my friends, this is my little Deanie. My only middle child, the one child of my three who exudes the most joy, lives most unabashedly, and revels in life to its fullest. All the previous is absolutely true unless - UNLESS - he has low blood sugar. Then? Well, let me just say that he's a whole 'nother animal (emphasis on animal).

Renowned Christian counselor Dr. James Dobson says the following of middle children:
"The middle child does sometimes find it more difficult to establish her identity within the family. She enjoys neither the status of the eldest nor the attention given to the baby. Furthermore, she is likely to be born at a busy period in the life of her parents, and especially her mother. Then during her preschool years, her precious territory is invaded by a cute little newborn who steals Mama from her. Is it any wonder that she often asks, "Who am I and where is my place in life?"

I'd love to hear from all of you out there with middle children, to see whether you find the above to be true for your family. In our case I truly don't sense that Brody has any trouble finding his place in life. Call me blind, call me ignorant, call me what you will but really, he seems very well adjusted! Brody is boisterous, outgoing, fun-loving, most affectionate and truly, truly so joyful. I think I can best communicate this joy by relating a story from the very recent past.

While in Colorado during the end stages of Zack's dad's cancer, the kids and I established ourselves as permanent fixtures in George's hospice room for a day. As difficult as were the circumstances, the unending supply of ice cream in the family freezer, the doting nurses, the portable DVD player set up in the room, and the general kid-appeasing character of Zack and I caused the kids to find hospice fun. After spending an entire day camped out we began packing up to leave. Brody, deciding to use the potty before hitting the road, began taking quite some time in the facilities. I went in to check on him and found him humming away on the potty. I helped him finish up, got him reclothed and opened the door for him. As he ran out of the bathroom he gleefully cried, "Mom, this is the best place EVER!"

Hospice the best place ever? Really, this eight room facility geared for those at the end of their lives? Fun? All I can say is praise God for the perspective of a four-year-old. Actually bigger than that, praise God for our little Brody Dean!

Domesticity Defined

2008-03-28T06:40:00.006-06:00

Whole Wheat Beer Batter Bread

Nutritious Bran Muffins

Salmon w/ Parmesan Polenta and Asparagus

So all you foodies out there will commiserate with me on this post. Don't the above photos look healthy and delicious? Funny you say that, they are!!

Call me crazy, but I absolutely love providing for my family in terms of filling their tummies with good for-you-fare. All three of the above are packed with nothing but healthy, oh so yummy goods.

Let's start with the Whole Wheat Beer Batter Bread:

This is the absolute easiest recipe you'll come across. Not only is it one bowl, mix, pour, and bake but it requires NO KNEADING! Did you hear that, no arm workout today!! This truly is a no-fail recipe. The bread fills your kitchen with incredible aromas, comes out perfectly golden brown, and is dynamite with your favorite soup or plain right out of the oven slathered with your favorite topping.

On to the Nutritious Bran Muffins:

Whole Wheat Flour, oat bran, figs, shredded carrots, walnuts, and applesauce in place of most of the oil. Does it get any better than that? Of course this is an abbreviated ingredient list but I just wanted to highlight what makes up the body of goodness in this little morsel. These are great for snack time or a quick breakfast on the go. Mmm., mmm, mmm!

Finally, the Salmon Dinner:

What can beat Omega 3 goodness, belly filling starch, and greens galore? All three of these "musts" compirse this meal. The marinated salmon flakes easily and melts in your mouth, the polenta compliments the fish well, and the asparagus never fails to leave your pee with that unmistakable aroma (oh gosh, Grandma sorry if I've offended)! No really, I love a meal like this. And you know what worked well? Zack (the hubby) must have bread with a meal like this. So what did I have available? Well the Beer Batter Bread was sitting on kitchen counter just asking to be consumed. Zack sliced off a big ol' slab, buttered it generously and enjoyed it with this meal. Perfect!

It feels so great to be back into the swing of things, actually preparing meals for the fam. If you too, want the satisfaction of divine domesticity I'm willing to share my recipes. Just let me know!

George

2008-03-24T13:53:00.004-06:00

My humble take on nursery rhyme prose:

Gone from our sight, this much is true,

Eternity, however, is the promise for you.

Onto what's bigger, what's better, what's more,

Right into the arms of our loving Savior.

God knows best, His ways are higher

Entering heaven, the greatest gift to acquire!

And tomorrow, I promise you food pictures. Salivate, you will! So what will you see? Hows bout' some Whole Wheat Beer Batter Bread; Nutritious Bran Muffins; and a dinner of Marinated Salmon, Parmesan Polenta, and Asparagus. Good things await you!

Happy Easter From Our Own Little Funny Farm To Yours

2008-03-19T21:55:00.010-06:00

In the midst of the craziness that has been the past two and a half weeks it felt so good to collaborate with the kids on a spring craft. The above photo models our results. These little animals are simply too cute for their own good and relatively easy to make. It's our little way of saying Happy Spring to you!

What a blogging slacker I've been, huh? Blogging, unfortunately, has been the least of my worries most recently. Suffice it to say that our guarded optimism regarding Zack's dad was quickly dashed. How can a person go from a seemingly inconsequential hospitalization on February 14th to a blessed end to suffering on March 11th? Zack and I are reeling in a current state of surrealism. It's hard to believe, hard to accept, and absolutely shocking that George has passed on. I've got so much more to say on this because having been present for a good part of his last two weeks, and there with him when he passed, my life has been altered. I'm currently in a state of processing so bear with me through the next few weeks of posting ya'll.

And by the way, I just want to thank everyone for their positive response to this outlet of mine. It truly is a joy for me to share my life with you, and such a great hobby for me. Stay tuned because there's a whole lot more to come! Till then, ciao (just pretend with me that I'm Italian, capiche? Right now it just sounds oh so "Calgon take me away"!).

*By the way, something's up with Blogger and it isn't allowing me to space between paragraphs. You'll just have to excuse the jumbled mess of words. Funny, it aptly represents where I'm at in my mind at the moment...

86%

2008-02-29T05:55:00.003-07:00

This post is long past due. Not just this post but many. I still have to tell you about our boys, Garrett and Brody. I mean, if they ever found this blog in their older age and discovered that I had only written about their sister, I'm sure there would be dire emotional consequences, right? Emotional consequences aside, I really do find them as as precious as Ashlyn so be looking for those posts soon.

I also need to update you on our life in general. Besides the news of George, which has oh so much more detail at this point, we also had a stroke scare with my mom. Needless to say our parents' mortality has bluntly stared us straight in the eyes and we are humbled...

Now for today's post:

86%. Did you know that 86% of the elderly in nursing home care have NOBODY that comes and visits? 86% people!! For some time I've been wanting to establish a routine of befriending and visiting a senior but have dragged my feet for no good reason. Valentine's Day, however, has been a good kick-in-the-pants, and I hope to soon report that our family has stuck up a new friendship. What was it that spurned me on you ask?

On Valentine's Day Garrett's first grade class took a field trip to a local nursing home. I volunteered, at the last minute, to be a driver. While the drive to the home was something in and of itself (just imagine the youthful energy in our van packed with five 1st graders, a four-year-old, and a three-year-old), the performance the kids delivered was indeed inspiring. Along with the first grade class, the second graders joined the fun with song and dance for the residents to enjoy. All of the songs were God-focused and just about the most adorable thing you've ever seen. Country line dancing with partners of the opposite gender loses all it's corniness when it's done by your own child!

Besides the performance we did about 15 minutes of meet and greet and general visiting. While most of the kids were trepidacious because of the plethora of wheelchairs and oxygen tanks, I was in my element. I love the elderly. I love their rich heritage, the time from which they hailed, their appreciation of the simple things of life, the wrinkled skin of their hands that bears testament to years and years of experiences yet to be know by others. I love it all. And you know what I loved most? Their joy following the kids' performance!! You would have thought we'd brought a world-class Broadway show to the nursing home. These people were overwhelmed with joy, so much so that they cried. They cried and they begged. They begged us not to go. They begged us to come back and visit. They were thirsty for the simple joy that human interaction brings.

86%! This means that of the roughly 40 residents, 34 of them would have had not a single visitor on our national day of celebrating love had we not gone to the nursing home. Convicted? I am!!

Life As We Know It

2008-02-16T20:34:00.005-07:00

For my faithful blog readers, I'm still here!!

Initially I was on hiatus because my internet connection took a crash. Finally, after five days without online capabilities (can you hear me sobbing where you're at?) I was back up and running. I could have blogged that first day, really I could have, but...okay really there's no excuse.

Then a few days ago we received some very unsettling news about Zack's dad (George) having been transported to the hospital via ambulance. Long story short: Zack is now in Denver with his dad who is still in the hospital. George has a fractured vertebrae as well as anemia for which the cause is currently unknown. It seems the doctors are very concerned about why his red blood count is so low and will keep him there till a diagnosis is established. The cracked vertebrae is extremely painful and basically has Goerge bedridden at this point.

All that to say that your prayers for George are appreciated. And I promise, I won't be gone much longer, I just have to dig my way out of domestic duties before I can spend much time online! How's that song go..."I get knocked down but I get up again, you're never keep me down...".

Till we meet again (VERY soon, I promise),

Jennie the Not So Faithful Blogger

Getting To Know You

2008-02-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

Ho hum, it's a quiet day at home with not a whole lot of blog worthy fodder. So, ya'll get to meet the kiddos over the next few days. And for family, here's an update on the ones you're really interested in when you call to chat!
First up is our youngest, Ashlyn Grace, our bubbly, three-years-old-in-all-its-glory little girl (with a new "shortcut" I might add):

Isn't it amazing to look back on years gone by? Just over three years ago I was a sobbing mess of hormones contemplating how I would possibly mother another child with a then 2-year-old and then six-month-old at home. In fact, after finding out that the in utero baby was a girl, Zack and I took a step of faith naming her "Ashlyn" which means "vision of God". Goodness knows she wasn't our vision at the time! However, had I been on this end of things, with the priceless gift of hindsight, she WOULD have without a doubt been my vision for our family!

So who is Ashlyn? I think the question more aptly would be who isn't Ashlyn? Throw together some of the sweetest, most endearing qualities you can think of and you'll know what I mean! Amongst all that sweetness if a fair dose of spunk that probably results from having older brothers. I girl's got to defend herself, man! And no, ABSOLUTELY NOT, to you scoffers among the crowd, there is NO WAY she got that spunk from me. *Cue the angels* I am all sugar and spice gall darn it!

I love the age of three. Some of the greatest "isms" result from this age of growing independence and equally growing vocabulary. For example here are, straight from the mouth of the star of the show, some Ashlynisms:
~"Daddy, I love you all day long."
~"When I get big I'm going to die and go to heaven and be a boy."
~"Good job Bwody (Brody)."
~"Baby Mikayla (a friend's three-month-old) looks just like Lucy (Ashlyn's baby doll). They have the same wittle (little) hands and same wittle nose and same wittle hair!"
~"Finn (another friend's one-year-old) is such a cutie sweetie."
~"Mom can I please vacuum?" and "Mom, can I dust the piano?" These two are music to my ears!!

The list could go on and on, and I guarantee that the best Ashlynisms of all are escaping my memory at the moment! In short, the only little girl in our family is quite a joy and I look forward to seeing who she grows into as the years speed by me at lightning speed. Which makes me offer, if any of ya'll know the secret to slowing the passing of time please do share! I'm noticing that these precious days are simply too fleeting!

Metamorphosis

2008-02-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

So what's this you ask? Ho, ho well...all along you thought I was just a mom (see evidence below), right?

What is rarely displayed in my career as a Domestic Specialist is the fact that I did, in fact, graduate with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. And the cold hard truth is that you simply can't take the Biologist outta the Mom! So while working on building the patio with Zack last fall (you see I'm also a construction supervisor as well, emphasis on the supervisor portion) the kids spotted a yellow and black, hairy caterpillar struggling to make it's way through the grass, and I just knew we had to keep it.

Before long the caterpillar was munching away on a lettuce leaf in its lovely new abode, the kids bug trap. The way the thing was eating you'd think it was getting ready for winter hibernation. Well dadgum, it was! Three days later the little bugger had begun building it's chrysalis in the corner of its new home.

Fast forward to five months later. Garrett (my oldest son, and the one with his arm around me in the above photo) came into the office early one morning to find me working away. As he waited for me to finish up he gazed lovingly at the chrysalis. The next thing you know I hear a yelp of pure joy followed by, "Mom there's a hole in the chrysalis". Lo and behold, there was. After a small amount of searching we finally located the butterfly...but wait...that's no butterfly! Horror of horrors, we had housed a moth, a MOTH, in the office, ON my desk, for the past 150 days. A moth...DISGUSTING! Garrett shares my dislike of the pesky creatures that flit about your head as you stand in the glow of the porch light on a summer evening and he wasn't all that impressed, kind of freaked out as a matter of fact. After the initial freakiness wore off we decided to do some research. Online we found photos of the caterpillar we had captured late last fall and after much searching located a photo of the moth as well. We had watched the amazing metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a lovely Spotted Tussock or Tiger Moth!

I must admit I became fond of the little fellar in his short five days in our family. Yep, the above photo is of a dead moth. I think the below zero transport to Garrett's school for show-and-tell is what cut his life short. Maybe that or the fact that he really shouldn't have emerged till early spring which in Montana is still a good, oh...three months away. In any case his life wasn't wasted. For the sake of science and the joy of discovery the little guy offered his all. I will end with a eulogy for the little guy: He was indeed a moth for all seasons! Oh, and one more thing, does anyone find it at all interesting that I've referred to the moth as a "he" in conjunction with the word "disgusting"? Hmm, tis neither here nor there, I suppose!

Superbowl weekend = food, right?

2008-02-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

So how 'bout them Giants?!?! What a fun game to watch, plus I always love it when the underdog comes out ahead! That said, I sure am glad the weekend is over. Don't get me wrong, I love the time with my hubby, Zack; the days off of school; and the time spent in my p.j.'s on a Saturday morning. This weekend, however, this weekend was a free-for-all food fest for me. Can anyone relate?

It all started with an incredible date night at Looie's Down Under, probably one of my favorite restuarants in Bozeman! The atmosphere is ecclectic with a touch of class and you can go glam or wear that pair of most comfy jeans you love so much. My 4oz. filet with balsamic reduction was INCREDIBLE and the 4oz. piece of salmon was good as well. And to top dinner off I had the most rich piece of chocolate cake I've ever had. Mmm, mmm, mmm!

Saturday was a snack day in all it's glory. We watched some friend's kids, all boys, four of 'em, all six-years-old and under. You can imagine that I didn't go to a whole lot of work to prepare food with seven kids all under the age of six under foot, but I do have to say that I made homemade tortillas for quesidillas. Again, mmm!!

Sunday some friends had us over for an incredible brunch after church, and not even an hour after leaving there we headed to another friend's house for the Superbowl. Our spread there included meatballs, Doritos, chips and guacamole, nut bites, cookies, bbq deer sandwhiches (and yep you read that right, venison), fruit, veggies, and assorted drinks. It was all great stuff, although by the end of the night my stomach was pretty much on stike!

Needless to say, I dragged my bulging stomach (and rear, and hips, and...) to the gym this morning. Is there such a thing as repenting on the treadmill? Anyway, since I wrote about nothing but food, I'd love to hear about your weekend using only as many names of food as possible!

Sunrises That Make Your Heart Ache

2008-02-01T12:54:00.001-07:00

Glory be!! If there's one redeeming quality (okay, okay so there's more than one, but...) about driving the kids to school each and every weekday it is absolutely, without a doubt, the Montana sunrises. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and see it with me, reader-folk:

It's 8:00 a.m.,
The temperature gauge in your car reads 21 degrees,
But your seat heater (or heat seater as the hooligans, aka kids, call it) is keeping you nice and toasty warm,
You pull out of the garage,
And behold something that mere words simply cannot describe,
In all directions,
Yes, North; South; East; and West,
You are surrounded by towering, snow covered peaks,
360 degrees of pure mountain majesty.
You can't even see the sun itself,
But every single mountain range is aglow with an almost ethereal pink tinge.
But that's not all,
The sky is a clear, deep blue,
And you can still see the moon making its sleepy descent toward the West,
And when you look to the highest peak in the area,
It is radiating with a direct beam from that hidden, rising sun.

I've said it once but I'll say it again - G.l.o.r.y. B.e.!!!!

You Tasty Little Thing, You

2008-01-31T13:40:00.001-07:00

After recovering from a two day bout with a stomach bug I was HUNGRY!! Following a Mexican meal of homemade enchildas, refried beans, and chips and guacamole I was craving chocolate (a common thing with me, by the way). I have wanted to make these cookies for some time since they are touted as "The best chocolate chip cookie". Can I just say one thing? They aren't a lyin'!! Granted I didn't eat a baked cookie last night, you see after eating at least a cookie's worth of dough I simply didn't have room. But this morning, for the sake of my photograpy - really that's the ONLY reason - I took a bite of one. Both the dough and the cookie bite itself were incredible! If you ever want an indulgence, this is it!! These gems are slightly crunchy on the outside and perfectly chewy on the inside. This is indeed the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever made! You can thank me later for passing the recipe on!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

(from the Best Recipe)

2 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour (I substituted 1 C. whole wheat flour for 1 C of all purpose)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter (12 tbsp), melted and cooled until just warm

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (Here I substituted 1 1/4 C. bittersweet baking bar broken into pieces)

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, followed by chocolate chips.Drop by (scant) 1/4 cups onto the baking sheet and pat lightly so the cookie is an even thickness, not a ball shape. Cookies will spread as they bake and this ensures a more even spread.Bake at 325F for 15-17 minutes, until just turning light brown all over. The edges should only be very slightly more brown, if at all, from the rest of the cookie. Allow cookies to cool before removing them from the baking sheet.Makes 18-24 large cookies

The Maiden Voyage

2008-01-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time coming, my blog that is. For months I've mulled over diving into the world of airing my dirty laundry for the whole world to read. Call me crazy (it's okay others before you have said worse) but it kinda sounds fun! Speaking of dirty laundry I think all you stay-at-home moms will relate to the above photo, and if you can't then I don't even want to hear about it. Everyone who has it all together will just make me feel puny and inconsequential which I don't deal well with.

That said, what can you expect from future posts? Nothin' but the real McCoy. Sometimes I'll be funny, sometimes blue. Sometimes I'll have created a mouth watering meal with photos for everyone to relish, other times we'll be Mac n' Cheesin' it so to speak. I'll also be using my readers as guinea pigs for viewing my photos - be honest everyone. I'm really looking to improve so your feedback is valuable. To keep readership up and active I may even throw in an occassional contest or two WITH PRIZES!! Stay tuned for that! And family, feel free to read at your own risk. You never know when I'll say something about you...always good of course, right?

Places (Lugares)

2000-12-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

So these are photos of where all the fun goes down here in San Jose. We thought it'd be good to give you a glimpse into our day in, day out lives.

Home, sweet home (that'd be Ashlyn out front):

Looking from our language school down toward the kids' school, Sojourn Academy. The school is set into a hill, so the different buildings are tiered on the property:

And just a fun photo showing just how wet rainy season is. The sidewalk grows algae! And not only that but the sidewalks also grow an equivalent to Montana's black ice. If you look closely you'll see that there's a black tinge to the sidewalk. When that baby's wet expect some slippin' and slidin'!

And finally, a special treat for those of you who've followed the post thus far. This, this, our friends, is just a snippet of the crazy fun that goes down in esta casa (posted with Zack's permission, but without Brody's):

Don't everyone send record offers all at once, now. We're quite occupied with being missionaries at the moment.

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